Uber in soup for charging Rs 1,334 for 8.83 km ride; faces Rs 20,000 fine
PTC News Desk: Uber India has been fined Rs 20,000 by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh after it charged Rs 1,334 for an 8.83 km ride, reportedly.
According to media reports, the Commission has directed Uber India to pay Rs 10,000 of the total fine to a customer named Ashwani Prashar as compensation and deposit Rs 10,000 in a legal aid account.
Notably, Ashwani Prashar filed a complaint against Uber, claiming that he took a cab using the ride-hailing service Uber on August 6, 2021. He claimed that the 8.83-kilometer ride lasted only 15 minutes, from 10.40 pm to 10.57 pm, but he was charged Rs 1,334, which comes to about Rs 150 per km. Prashar filed a complaint after many chats and emails to Uber seeking redressal of his concern went unaddressed.
Uber India responded that the upfront fare shown to the rider was Rs 359. The total fee was Rs 1,334 due to route diversions between AG Colony, Audit Phool Colony, Sector 41-B, Chandigarh and Sector 48-B, Chandigarh.
Uber India said it is unable to determine whether the reported deviations were caused by the rider/complainant or the driver. It also asserted that in any situation, it cannot be held accountable for any route deviation caused by the rider/complainant or the driver.
The company further said that it operates just as a mediator between the rider and the driver and is not a party to any agreement reached between them regarding the route taken for any trip.
To retain the rider's trust in the platform, the company reimbursed Rs 975 in Uber Credits to the complainant's account for the cash trip.
The Disputes Redressal Commission, however, described the incident as "unfair trade practice" while ruling in favour of the complainant.
It stated that the practice of charging an excess fare than the actual agreed fare at the time of advance booking is an unfair trade practice that should not be allowed. The complainant is entitled to compensation for mental agony and harassment, as well as litigation expenses, it added.
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