'No Uber services allowed here, board has been placed': online taxis face restrictions in Kovalam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Restrictions and protests against online taxi drivers continue in Kovalam, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kerala. Recently, a group of local taxi drivers stopped an Uber taxi that had arrived at a resort in Kovalam to pick up passengers. The visuals of the Uber driver being stopped were shared on social media and quickly went viral.

In the video, a local taxi driver can be heard saying that online taxi trips will not be allowed in the area and that a board mentioning the restriction has been placed there. After the vehicle was blocked, the Uber driver called the passenger and explained the situation, saying that he had no option other than cancelling the trip. The Uber driver said that incidents of online taxi drivers being stopped have increased in the Kovalam region. He also alleged that some local taxi drivers behave badly with online taxi operators. However. he added that the driver who stopped him the previous day explained the issue and asked him to return without any further conflict.

Uber services are widely used by tourists visiting Kerala, including foreign travellers. There are concerns that continued restrictions and obstruction of such services could negatively affect the tourism sector. Online taxi drivers and passengers have urged authorities to intervene and resolve the issue properly.