App-based cabs overcharge, govt says it will form teams and challan errant taxis
Commuters in Delhi on Wednesday accused the app-based cab services such as Ola and Uber of overcharging as the strike by autos and kaali-peeli taxis entered its second day.
Commuters in Delhi on Wednesday accused the app-based cab services such as Ola and Uber of overcharging as the strike by autos and kaali-peeli taxis entered its second day.
Thousands were stranded at railway stations and bus terminuses. Those who use public transport for their daily commute has a harrowing time.
Some said they were made to pay double or more fare. They alleged cab companies did not alert the passengers about any surge in prices. We got to know about it only when after reaching the destination, they said.
“Uber did not tell me how many times the normal fare I need to pay for the journey,” said Ranjan Srivastava, who regularly use app-based cabs.
“When I booked a cab on the Uber app, It just said the fares are high. With Ola, I had to click on the ‘know fare’ button to know the fare. So now, we don’t know what per kilometre rate will be charged unless it is time for us to pay. For a journey of 3 kilometres, passengers paid R 300,” Shrivastav said.
Shabnam had a similar experience. “I had to pay R304 for my journey from South Extension-I to Connaught Place on Wednesday. I paid R160-R170 for the same journey when the strike wasn’t there,” he said.
There were complaints of long waiting time also.
Read: In pics: Auto, taxi strike cripples life in Delhi
Uber on Wednesday sent an email to its customers, saying it has rolled out upfront fares for all trips in Delhi-NCR. “Simply enter your destination and get the actual trip fare before you request a ride, just like you already do with uberPOOL. No surprises or calculating your fare - you can decide what’s best for you and your budget,” the email read.
The transport department said that it had banned the surge pricing and will check if the companies had resumed it. Both Ola and Uber did not respond to the queries in this regard.
“We have received complaints from passengers and will form a team to challan cabs,” said a transport department official. Passengers complained of long waiting time before they could get a cab.