Taxi firms like Uber, the online cab-hailing company banned in New Delhi, will have to install panic buttons if they want to continue operating in India's capital under new rules outlined after allegations that a driver for the U.S. firm raped a female passenger.
Earlier this month, the transport office of Delhi ordered San Francisco-based Uber Technologies to stop its services after the incident, which caused a worldwide debate on women's safety in India.
The Delhi government wants all taxi operators, including the matchmaking Uber, to have a fleet of taxis running on clean fuels and fitted with tracking devices and emergency buttons, according to Reuters.
"The licensee shall ensure the facility of a panic button in the radio taxi so that in case of any distress, the signal is transmitted to the control center of the licensee and therefrom, to the nearest police station/police control room," Delhi's transport office said on its website.
Uber could also be banned in several other countries like Spain, Thailand and the United States. Authorities' in most companies don't like the fact that Uber's service includes unchecked private vehicle owners.
Uber, which is valued at about $40 billion, said it doesn't agree with the guidelines and plans to continue talks with the transport office.
"These regulations don't work for tech companies like Uber," a spokesman said to Reuters. "You tell me if trying to force fit existing regulations for "radio taxis" to a disruptive technology company makes sense?"
Uber has around 3,000-5,000 registered drivers in Delhi but it is not clear how many of their vehicles run on clean fuels in the city. It is mandatory that all drivers use compressed natural gas in Delhi unless the vehicle has a pan-country license, according to Reuters.
Around 93 taxis have already been impounded by the Delhi Transport Department for abusing the exemption by plying national-permit vehicles primarily in Delhi.
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