Delhi HC issues notice over plea seeking to make Rapido app disabled friendly

Illustratively, on the iOS platform, the option to cancel a ride is inaccessible, there are several unlabelled buttons, the plea said

The Delhi high court on Thursday issued notice in a plea seeking to make Rapido’s mobile ride application disabled friendly. A bench of justice Subramonium Prasad sought response from the Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd’s Rapido and the Centre by 20 December 2023 in the plea filed by corporate lawyer and disability rights activist Amar Jain.

The Delhi high court. (Mint Photo)

Jain in his plea filed through advocate Rahul Bajaj stated that Rapido’s mobile ride application fails to cater to accessibility needs of disabled individuals due to the operational flaws that rendered the app unusable for persons with disabilities (PwD).

“Illustratively, on the iOS platform, the option to cancel a ride is inaccessible, there are several unlabelled buttons, including the names of the vendors through which payments are to be made for a ride and the option to message the driver is inaccessible,” read the plea.

Jain contended that the Rapido’s mobile ride application also failed to provide an option for PwDs to communicate their additional needs such as request for a little extra wait time, help with finding the location while booking a ride.

“Further, Respondent No. 1 (Rapido) has no programme in place to sensitise its drivers to the needs of persons with disabilities so that they may be suitably addressed,” the plea further read.

Referring to the mandate on the public and private service providers under the Rights of Persons with Disability Act (RPwD) and RPwD rules to make their digital platforms fully accessible to PwD’s,

Jain in his plea also sought to direct the Centre to put in place a strong legal mandate and operational guidance for cab aggregators, to ensure that their offerings are disabled friendly.