How safe are radio cabs?

You pay extra for the 'good service' the premium taxis promise. But are you getting your money's worth?

You pay extra for the 'good service' the premium taxis promise. But are you getting your money's worth?

Delhi is at its best behaviour to welcome the world next year. From cops to beggars, everyone is polishing up their table manners to be ideal hosts during the Commonwealth Games.

But one community doesn't seem to be bothered and worse, they hold the welcome boards.

The city's cab drivers are still on their infamous fleecing spree, cheating both residents and tourists alike. Even the premium radio cabs are no better!

Tall claims

The security claims of radio taxis came under the scanner in August last year when three women returning from a late-night party at Noida's Sector 50 were allegedly harassed by a drunk driver.
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The women alleged that the cab driver was trying to drive them away from their destination. Similar complaints are rampant even today.

The cab owners, though, claim that the drivers are trained before being handed over the keys. "A three-day training module in good behaviour is mandatory for our drivers.
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Under this, we teach them how to treat customers. We also check the antecedents of drivers before hiring them," said H S Chandok, director of Chanson radio cab service.

"Our taxis have panic buttons on the rear seat and if a customer feels unsafe, he or she can press it for immediate action.

The cabs also have GPS trackers installed through which we can monitor them," said a senior official from EasyCabs, another popular radio taxi service provider.
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Taller doubts

However, the real scenario is quite different. Most customers complain about being fleeced by these drivers.
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Last week, Dayanand Srivastava, a media professional was on his way to Noida from CR Park in South Delhi in a radio cab.

Srivastava was taken aback when the driver asked him to pay an extra MCD tax of Rs 35 while entering Noida. This was on top of the 20-rupees toll tax.
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"I could have easily hired an autorickshaw but I opted for a radio cab as it is more comfortable. But when the driver asked me to pay the MCD tax, I refused.

Paying an additional amount of Rs 35 was not the problem but the driver insisted I pay up. There is no such rule. He threatened to leave me stranded on the DND Flyway after which I made the payment," said Srivastava.

Srivastava also alleged that numerous phone calls to the cab's customer care centre yielded no results.
In another case, Siddharth Sehgal, a resident of Malviya Nagar in South Delhi hired a cab to Dilshad Garden.

"While booking the cab I had provided all information like my address and nearest landmark but the driver called me at least seven times and rudely asked me the address again. He almost harassed me.

I really doubt if these taxi drivers are groomed or trained.

If this is the way they behave with a local resident, I can only wonder how they will come across to women and foreign visitors," said Sehgal, who was too busy to register a police complaint.

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