Govt bans Rapido service in J&K

Jammu, May 11: Authorities have imposed a ban on bike and cab service provider Rapido in Jammu and Kashmir due to company functioning without the required permissions.
According to the details, the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Jammu, Jasmeet Singh, issued a circular stating that the company was operating without an aggregator certificate, making its services illegal in the Union Territory.
The action follows a statement by Transport Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan, who clarified that Rapido does not hold a licence to operate in Jammu and Kashmir. In a post on X, Mahajan said his office had received multiple complaints regarding the company’s services in different parts of the UT and warned commuters against using them.
“Rapido does not have a licence to operate in Jammu and Kashmir. Anybody participating in the service or using it is doing so at his or her own risk,” Mahajan said, adding that directions had already been issued to officials to take action against the “illegal service.”
RTO Jasmeet Singh stated that any aggregator company must register with the Transport Commissioner’s office and obtain the necessary approvals before starting operations in the region. He further noted that Rapido would be required to establish a local office and set up a control room to ensure proper monitoring of vehicles and passengers.
Highlighting security concerns, the RTO said unregulated services could pose risks if misused by anti-social or anti-national elements, making tracking difficult. He emphasized that verification of vehicles, drivers, and related documents is essential to ensure public safety.
At the same time, officials maintained that the government does not intend to inconvenience the public but stressed that all services must comply with regulations to ensure both passenger safety and national security. (KNO)