Cabbies cancelling fare to cost Ola, Uber Rs 25k

NEW DELHI: Did the cab driver cancel the cab just before you were about to board? It can be a very stressful situation for people who have to reach their destination urgently.

To resolve this issue, the Delhi government plans to bring in a regulatory policy that will fine the concerned cab-aggregator Rs 25,000, in case their drivers cancel a fare.

Additionally, the upcoming policy promises to cap surge pricing, along with enforcing several safety measures.

According to a report by the Times of India, the upcoming policy mentions that the cab aggregators will have to file a complaint in case of any sexual harassment report from the rider. If the aggregator fails to do so, it would draw a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

The draft 'Licensing and Regulation of App-based Aggregators Rules, 2017' and the 'City Taxi Scheme, 2017' are being examined by a committee headed by Delhi Public Works Department minister Satyendar Jain.

As soon as the panel finalises the policy, it will be sent to the Delhi Cabinet for approval.

Concerning surge pricing, the policy states that aggregators would have to abide by the rules of maximum and minimum fare set by the Transport Department.

If, in any case, the aggregator fails to do so, they will be charged for Rs 25,000 for each violation.

If a case of molestation is reported by any customer, the draft rule states that the cab aggregator company, like Ola and Uber, will have to file a case with the police.

Failing to do so will result in a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Meanwhile, the policy does not prohibit the shared rides or pooling system, though it does state that cabs cannot pick up and drop different passengers from multiple points. Moreover, all cabs will be mandated to have panic buttons.

"To make cab travel safe, panic buttons will be placed inside the cabs and a decision on carpooling including Ola Share and Uber Pool would be taken by a senior committee," said an official.

"Keeping safety in mind, these cab providers must have a 24-hour call centre and share GPS feed, which is also monitored by the Transport Department's control centre. It also proposes to have a digital meter in place and cabs to be run on only clean fuel like CNG, LPG or all electric," the official added.