Representational Image (Reuters Photo)
US taxi-hailing app maker Uber Technologies Inc has restarted services in Delhi after a ban following rape allegations against one of its drivers, but a government official said the company remains blacklisted.
Uber's app showed taxis available in New Delhi on Friday after the company applied for a radio taxi licence, a spokesman said.
"They can't start operations," said a senior transport official, who was not authorised to speak with media on the matter and so declined to be identified. "They don't have a licence yet, they have only applied for it. It may get cleared, we could request changes, or we may reject it."
In a statement, the lawyer of the rape survivor slammed Uber, saying, "We had made it clear to Uber that the rape victim wanted to be part of a consultation process regarding safety procedures to ensure that no other person becomes a victim at the hands of an Uber driver. Most unfortunately, this has not happened and we have no confidence that the touted 'India-specific safety measures' will prevent another attack".
India is Uber's largest market outside of the United States by number of cities covered. The company said it would introduce additional safety measures including more stringent driver checks, an in-app emergency button and a dedicated incident response team.
"We are setting an even higher standard than current industry requirements," Uber said in a statement. "Our commitment to make transportation safe in Indian cities has never been more absolute."
After a financial executive said she was raped by a driver last month, Delhi's government banned Uber and other taxi-hailing app providers from operating in the city. Uber later said it did not carry out background checks on drivers in India, and authorities revealed the suspect was on bail for sexual assault.