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The Maharashtra government has rolled out a new Aggregator Guidelines policy that imposes penalties on both drivers and riders for unjustified cancellations
The penalty amount will be directly credited to the driver or rider’s account. (Representative Image)
The cancellation of app-based rides at the 11th hour after booking has become a common occurrence. To tackle this issue of arbitrary ride cancellations, the Maharashtra government has rolled out a new Aggregator Guidelines policy that imposes penalties on both drivers and riders for unjustified cancellations. The policy aims to bring greater discipline and fairness to ride-hailing services across the state.
Under the revised Aggregator Guidelines, drivers who cancel a booked ride without a valid reason will face a penalty amounting to 10 per cent of the ride fare, capped at a maximum of Rs 100. Passengers, on the other hand, will have to pay a fine of 5 per cent of the fare (capped at Rs 50) if they cancel a booked trip without justification.
State Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said the penalty amount collected from drivers would be directly credited to the rider’s account, The Times of India reported.
The decision has been largely welcomed by commuters who have long grappled with last-minute cancellations. Vishal Mishra, a marketing executive, shared his ordeal with the media outlet, stating, “We welcome this decision, as this will deter aggregator cab drivers from cancelling rides. Once, I faced four such cancellations before getting a booking after 20 minutes for my destination. I was delayed for an important assignment that day.”
Prapti Thakker, a regular commuter from Ghatkopar, recounted his experience and said, “Once I was at a wedding event in Goregaon and booked a cab around 11 pm. The app showed the cab will reach the venue in 20 minutes.”
She waited until 11.18 pm, but the driver suddenly cancelled the ride. “I was left stranded and struggling to book another cab for my destination. After two more cancellations, I got a cab around midnight,” she said.
Another commuter, who switched to taxis for island city travel, noted the decline in service quality post-pandemic. “When the app-based cab services began in 2014, there were incentives for riders, and cabs would arrive in 4-5 minutes. But after the COVID pandemic, we’ve found drivers first asking about the destination and then cancelling rides. Now, the aggregator firms have launched a feature wherein the driver gets to know your destination at the time of booking.”
The issue of repeated cancellations has led to significant inconvenience and even missed appointments for some, with one stating, “The waiting time for an aggregator cab booking and the repeated cancellation of rides leave you fuming. You may miss your flight, so I now prefer taking Metro 7 from the western suburbs to Gundavali and then catching a regular auto to T1 airport to board a flight.”
Beyond penalties, the new guidelines also introduced several crucial safety and gender-sensitive provisions and service standards. These include the mandatory integration of an emergency contact option within the app interface, compulsory background verification and character assessment of drivers, and mandatory insurance coverage for both passengers and drivers. Additionally, all drivers will be required to undergo safety-focused training, with a special emphasis on professional conduct and customer service.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published:
