A panel appointed by the Maharashtra government has recommended that drivers of aggregators like Uber and Ola should be fined ₹50-75 for each cancellation, and this rebate should be provided to the affected passenger. These changes would take effect once the government approves them, reversing the current practice where passengers are charged for cancellations, HT reported.
The committee, led by retired bureaucrat Sudhirkumar Shrivastava, also proposed that taxis be given a maximum of 20 minutes to reach the pickup point, with fines imposed for delays. The committee which was constituted in April will submit final report soon for necessary approval. Additionally, it suggested that regional transport offices could have the authority to delist aggregator cabs if they are found to be in poor condition.
Passengers have long complained about ride cancellations by aggregator drivers after accepting bookings. The waiting time for aggregator cabs has risen by 6-10 minutes or even more during peak hours . As per the recommendations, passengers using online taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola should receive a rebate if a driver cancels a ride.
The draft rules are in line with the Motor Vehicle Aggregators Guidelines 2020 issued by the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways, which has directed all states to implement such rules. The committee also addressed issues such as fare regulation, driver training, and background checks.
“The action taken is not in public domain, and the RTO could be given the scope for taking necessary action,” said an official.
Uber and Ola have not commented on the recommendations. “Whenever this decision comes into effect, we will welcome it. The government should confirm the mode of payment to the passenger as he is transacting with the cab aggregator,” stated Shirish Deshpande, lawyer of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a collective of consumers. “Such a rebate should ideally be routed through the system,” he added as reported by HT.