AI-generated image
The guidelines recommend a response time of 60 seconds. Complaints should be acknowledged within two hours and resolved within 72 hours. Cognisable offences must be escalated to the police, while electronic evidence should be preserved for at least 180 days, subject to applicable law. NCW officials said the framework draws on the recommendations of the Justice J S Verma Committee and the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.
Pune: Women using app-based cabs, autos and bike taxis will have access to additional safety safeguards, including real-time alerts for route deviations, physical SOS buttons in cabs and 24×7 emergency response centres, under detailed guidelines issued by National Commission for Women (NCW), officials told TOI . NCW officials said these provisions were framed following consultations with women’s groups that have been demanding stronger safety mechanisms. “The aim is to make passenger safety a responsibility throughout the journey rather than only at the point of booking or during an emergency,” an NCW official said.
The guidelines, issued to states and Union territories, call for coordinated action by transport departments, RTOs, police and mobility aggregators. NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has directed chief secretaries to take steps to implement the measures. Under the framework, aggregators must ensure that the driver and vehicle assigned to a passenger match the details displayed on the app. Women can cancel a ride without paying a cancellation fee if there is an identity mismatch. Aggregators are also required to conduct police verification and background checks before onboarding drivers, followed by periodic re-verification where required. “Drivers will have to undergo periodic gender-sensitisation and safety training covering appropriate conduct, personal boundaries, prevention of sexual harassment and emergency response. NCW guidelines also recommend verified pools of women drivers, subject to availability, with women travelling alone given the option of requesting a woman driver,” stated the guidelines. Additional safeguards have been prescribed for late-night journeys. These include photo verification at the start of a trip, checks to prevent intoxicated driving, optional automatic sharing of journey details with trusted contacts, enhanced control-room monitoring and safe-drop options. The guidelines also provide for real-time detection of significant or unexplained route deviations, with alerts to be sent to both the passenger and the aggregator. Systems should flag prolonged or suspicious stoppages, particularly in isolated or vulnerable locations. Another provision is the establishment of a 24×7 command-and-control centre capable of responding to SOS alerts and coordinating with police. Every cab should also be equipped with a physical SOS button within easy reach of the passenger, capable of triggering an alert and facilitating the sharing of live location and trip details. The framework calls for safe drop-offs, particularly for women travelling alone at night, as well as time-bound grievance redressal.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news. Download the TOI App.