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India internet taxi ban welcome, but provide more transport for women, say activists

By Nita Bhalla

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Activists on Tuesday called on authorities to ensure women's mobility in the Indian capital did not suffer as the government halted operations of unregistered, web-based taxi firms after a woman reported she was raped by a cab driver.

It has emerged that the arrested driver, who appeared in court on Monday, had previously been charged with rape yet had obtained a character reference signed by police that was apparently forged.

The case, which has outraged activists, opposition political parties and social media users, revealed a failure to regulate the booming market for app-based taxi services in India.

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While women's rights activists welcomed the move to take the hundreds of unregistered taxis out of circulation until proper regulations were put in place, they expressed concerns that it will restrict freedom of movement for Delhi's women.

"I don't think banning taxis is the best solution," said Kalpana Viswanath, co-founder of Safetipin, an app that helps users by providing safety-related information.

"Lots of women use these cab services and by banning these taxis, it will take away their freedom. The taxis are cheap and fast and the few alternatives are less safe or more expensive."

The 27-year-old woman told police she was raped late on Friday as she traveled home from a party.

The assault happened almost two years after a fatal gang rape of a woman by six assailants aboard a Delhi bus, a case that led to nationwide protests and forced the government to address demands for heavier sentences for rape.

"The government has to put in place strong regulatory mechanisms and enforce them strictly when it comes to these taxi companies," said Karuna Nundy, a Supreme Court lawyer and women's rights activist.

"But there also has to be better access to public transport for women. The government has to increase the hours of metro train services are running and have more buses on routes."

Uber was blacklisted in Delhi on Monday after police said it had failed to run background checks on the driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, who had been arrested on charges of raping a woman three years ago but was later acquitted, police said.

On Tuesday, the government banned other similar web-based taxi providers that are unregistered. A public notice stated only six radio taxi companies will operate in Delhi.

Delhi, which has the reputation of being India's "rape capital", was ranked as the fourth most dangerous place for a woman to take public transport in a poll published in October by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

(Reporting by Nita Bhalla; Editing by Astrid Zweynert)