'Make the apps accountable’: Delhi HC puts Uber, Ola, Rapido on notice over women’s safety

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre, Delhi Police, Delhi government and ride-hailing platforms Uber, Rapido and Ola Cabs on a plea seeking stronger safety measures for women passengers using app-based cab services.

“We want to make the apps accountable,” a bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said while issuing notices to the authorities and the three platforms, according to a PTI report.

The court listed the matter for hearing in December and directed the respondents to file their responses.


The plea, filed by Aditya Sehgal, seeks a review of safety mechanisms governing app-based transport services in the capital, with the petitioner raising concerns ranging from driver verification to emergency response.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that thousands of cabs operate in Delhi without adequate checks on drivers, including checks to determine whether they are under the influence of alcohol during night hours, PTI reported.

The plea has sought measures covering verification of drivers’ criminal antecedents, vehicle identification, route deviations, emergency response, grievance redressal and preservation of electronic evidence. It has also sought greater coordination between ride-hailing platforms and law enforcement agencies.

According to PTI, the petitioner has also asked authorities to strengthen surveillance and monitoring of public roads, particularly at vulnerable, isolated and high-risk locations, and conduct a comprehensive review of existing safety protocols for app-based transport services.

24x7 command centre sought

The plea has sought directions to ride-hailing platforms to establish a 24x7 “Command and Control Centre” capable of receiving, monitoring and responding to emergency and SOS alerts raised by passengers.

It has also sought mandatory, periodic and verifiable training for cab drivers on gender sensitisation, appropriate conduct with women passengers, prevention of sexual harassment and maintenance of personal boundaries, PTI reported.

The court’s intervention comes against the backdrop of the broader safety concerns raised in the PIL, which seeks to place greater responsibility on both transport platforms and authorities for preventing and responding to risks faced by women using app-based mobility services.