Delhi Police Advises App-Based Aggregators To Restrict Services In Central Delhi

As student protests continue in the national capital, Delhi Police has requested app-based aggregators to regulate operations around the central Delhi area.

The police issued prohibitory orders in New Delhi District except designated protest sites at Jantar Mantar Road under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, earlier this week.

“As large gatherings and law & order continue in the affected area, app-based mobility services, ride-hailing platforms, food delivery, quick commerce, logistics and other ecommerce services are advised to suitably regulate their operations in the notified area for the duration of the prohibitory orders,” the traffic advisory said.

The measures could include temporarily geo-fencing affected locations or suspending ride and delivery services to and from the restricted area wherever operationally feasible. The advisory added that these steps are aimed at reducing movement into the notified area while ensuring the safety of drivers, riders, delivery partners and the general public.

While the advisory does not mandate a complete shutdown of services, it urges platforms to limit operations in restricted zones for as long as the prohibitory orders remain in force.

Delhi Traffic Police also urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to the restricted area, plan their journeys in advance and use alternate routes wherever possible. It asked people to follow directions issued by police personnel deployed on the ground and avoid circulating rumours or unverified information.

Emergency services, including ambulances, fire services, authorised government vehicles and other exempted categories, will continue to operate as permitted, the advisory said.

The advisory comes amid heightened security in the national capital over the ongoing student-led protests and the Monsoon Session of Parliament. 

Earlier in the day, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey claimed that the Indian government had ordered the takedown of bitchat, the decentralised messaging app he recently launched, alleging that authorities sought to curb its use amid the student-led demonstrations. 

The government has not publicly confirmed the claim, but the episode has renewed debate around the role of technology platforms during periods of civil unrest.

In recent months, internet companies and technology platforms have increasingly found themselves at the centre of regulatory and law enforcement actions, ranging from content moderation directives and takedown requests to operational advisories aimed at restricting services in sensitive areas during periods of heightened security.

The post Delhi Police Advises App-Based Aggregators To Restrict Services In Central Delhi appeared first on Inc42 Media.