Chandigarh: The cab ride begins on an app but often ends with a bargain — and a higher bill. Passengers say drivers are cancelling bookings after making contact and demanding inflated fares directly.A passenger from Panchkula said drivers still get connected through suspended platforms but subsequently prefer to deal directly with commuters rather than complete the ride through the app. “They get connected through the suspended platform and then ask passengers to deal directly. Once the booking is cancelled, they quote their own fare. Passengers are often left with little option but to pay,” the passenger said.Commuters say the difference can be substantial when fares are negotiated directly with drivers after an app booking is cancelled.For passengers, the problem is not only the higher fare but also the loss of certainty that came with an app booking. Once a ride moves outside the platform, they no longer have the originally displayed fare or the same mechanism for raising a complaint.At the same time, drivers say the disruption has affected their earnings and pushed them towards alternative platforms and direct arrangements. Many cab drivers have shifted to Bharat Taxi, particularly for trips from Panchkula to Chandigarh.A cab driver said the shift has also created intense competition among drivers. “In Bharat Taxi, currently there are fewer bookings but the number of cabs is much more, so the frequency of bookings for each driver has reduced considerably,” he said.Drivers say they are also trying to find ways to continue getting passengers through platforms that remain accessible. Some reportedly avoid routes where motor vehicle inspectors are generally deployed and use alternative routes to reduce the chances of being stopped.Another driver highlighted the difficulty faced by international tourists, who may find it particularly difficult to arrange local transport when their usual platforms are not available for regular bookings.For some regular users, however, suspended platforms remain attractive because of their pricing and availability. A cab user said, “These are still cheaper, and availability of the cabs is still the same as it was before the suspension.”Meanwhile, representatives of the aggregators whose licences were suspended held meetings with senior UT officials and the cab drivers’ union to resolve the issues. The running of non-commercial bikes as bike taxis remains a major point of concern, said sources.Meanwhile, the Chandigarh administration will formally launch Bharat Taxi in UT Chandigarh on Friday. Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria will attend the event as chief guest, along with Union ministers of state Murlidhar Mohol and Krishan Pal Gurjar.
