The Delhi High Court has sought responses from Uber, Ola, Rapido, the Centre and the Delhi government on a PIL seeking stronger safety measures for women using app-based cabs, bike taxis and other ride-hailing services. A bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay said private ride-hailing companies should be accountable for passenger safety and asked all concerned parties to file their replies before the next hearing, scheduled for December 16.
The PIL has raised concerns over driver verification, criminal background checks, vehicle and driver identity matching, route deviations, emergency assistance and monitoring of drivers during night hours. It also seeks a 24×7 SOS command centre, real-time sharing of relevant ride details with emergency authorities where legally permitted, alerts for unexplained route changes, regular driver training on women’s safety and an option for women passengers to choose verified female drivers, subject to availability. The court will consider the responses of the companies and governments in the next hearing.
