Maharashtra: Uber, Ola & Rapido To Now Pay Customers If Drivers Cancel Rides; Details Inside

Good news, people! The Maharashtra government rolled out the Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025 on May 1. One of the key highlights of the policy is that online cab-booking platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido will now have to compensate the customers in case of any cancellation by the drivers. Scroll on to know more about this.

Uber, Ola To Pay Customer For Cancellation By Drivers In Maharashtra

In line with the Supreme Court’s directives, a committee led by retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar Srivastava, laid the fundamentals of Maharashtra’s Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025. Targeting platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, this policy is shaped to enhance passenger safety, driver accountability, and fare transparency.

This policy makes it compulsory for ride-hailing services to compensate users if a driver cancels a ride. The authorities believe this will bring in more accountability, transparency, and will improve customer experience across the ride-sharing ecosystem in the state. For the longest time, customers in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur have complained about driver cancellations, especially during rush hours, bad weather, or in areas considered less profitable for cab drivers. This new policy will help overcome all these issues.

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More About Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025

With Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025, Maharashtra aims to end customer frustration and promote a commuter-first culture across platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. This policy mandates aggregators to obtain proper licences and adhere to various technical, safety and operating norms. Some of these include GPS tracking, emergency contact features in the app, background checks for the driver, cybersecurity requirements, and improved grievance redressal.

The new policy applies to all app-based aggregators, especially those in urban settings. The need for this policy arose from an increase in passenger complaints and the absence of regulation within the industry. Users were often subjected to last-minute cancellations by drivers, volatile surge prices and safety issues, particularly for women commuters. Authorities feel mandatory emergency contact features and live GPS tracking will enhance passenger safety.

They have also made fare structures more transparent. Also, regional transport offices have been urged to monitor these fare structures. According to the Free Press Journal, surge pricing has now been capped at 1.5 times the base fare, and discounts of up to 25% can be given during off-peak hours in Maharashtra.

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What are your thoughts about this policy? Let us know in the comments.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (representative image)