Hyderabad: 10 cabbies booked for refusing rides; now complain to cops on WhatsApp

It’s a common complaint in Hyderabad that drivers of cab aggregators frequently refuse rides. “Every time I book a cab under payment mode other than cash, the ride is abruptly canceled. It is quite annoying,” said a cab user from the city.

On December 18, the Cyberabad Traffic Police announced on Twitter: “Are you frustrated about cab drivers canceling rides based on their destination or other reasons? The public can now raise a complaint with vehicle number, date and time, location and screenshot.”

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— CYBERABAD TRAFFIC POLICE (@CYBTRAFFIC) December 18, 2019

Stating that cab users have welcomed the initiative, SM Vijay Kumar, DCP(Traffic), Cyberabad police, told indianexpress.com: “Everyone faces this issue with cabs. I have faced this myself. There are many reasons for the rejection of rides. For example, if it is a short ride, the driver may not come.”

The complaints are being booked under Section 178 of the MV Act, which states that a contract carriage vehicle can’t deny a ride to passengers post-booking and is liable to pay a fine of Rs 500.

Vijay Kumar said due to their experience of several years with aggregator companies, the drivers know which areas are likely to get them a return ride. “If they get a ride to the airport, the drivers are very likely to find a customer for the way back. But if the ride is to residential areas, the chances are not as high,” Kumar said, adding the timing of the booking is not a major criterion for accepting or rejecting the rides.

Kumar said many drivers are calling the police and expressing their grievances too. “They say customers were rude or drunk, because of which rides were canceled. Those issues should be taken up with their management,” said the DCP.

Earlier, the Cyberabad Traffic Police had started taking complaints against autorickshaws for refusal of a ride, demanding extra charge, riding without meter, carrying extra passengers, etc.