Cab Aggregator Consumer Complaint Puducherry

Regulatory Framework — Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2020

Issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, these Guidelines (adopted, with variations, by states/UTs for licensing app-based cab aggregators) require aggregators to, among other things: maintain driver verification and training records; install/enable a panic button and real-time trip tracking (mandated separately under the Nirbhaya Fund-linked vehicle location tracking rules for public service vehicles); cap surge pricing (commonly at a multiple of the base fare, as fixed by the licensing authority); and maintain a grievance redressal mechanism for both riders and drivers. A material, undisclosed deviation from the fare shown at booking, or a platform's failure to act on a reported safety incident, can be measured against these obligations.

Common Grievances

• Fare mismatch: Amount charged is materially higher than the app's upfront fare estimate, without a disclosed reason (route change, toll, waiting charge) attributable to the rider.
• Wrongful cancellation charge: Cancellation fee charged despite the driver being at fault (long wait, refusal to come, refusal of destination) rather than the rider.
• Driver misconduct/refusal: Refusal to ply the booked route, rude or unsafe behaviour, or refusal of a legitimate payment mode.
• Safety incidents: Accident, harassment, or a safety-relevant incident during a ride, and the platform's response (or lack of it) to a report of the incident.
• Lost items: Failure to assist in recovering an item left in the vehicle, where the platform's own policy commits to such assistance.

Applicable Law

The aggregator provides a "service" (the booking/matching platform, and often payment collection) for consideration (platform/convenience fee, or a share of the fare), making it a service provider under Section 2(42), CPA 2019, and the rider a "consumer" under Section 2(7). An unexplained fare overcharge, a wrongful cancellation levy, or failure to act on a safety complaint per the platform's own stated policy is "deficiency" under Section 2(11); a materially misleading fare estimate at booking is "unfair trade practice" under Section 2(47). Both the aggregator platform and, in appropriate cases, the individual driver-partner can be relevant parties, though the platform is usually the practical opposite party for fare/policy disputes.

Jurisdiction & Forum

(Section 34(1)/47(1)(a)(i)/58(1)(a)(i) of the Act itself set these thresholds at ₹1 Crore / ₹10 Crore / above ₹10 Crore; each carries a proviso letting the Central Government prescribe a different value. Exercising that power, the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021 currently set the values shown in the table above.) A Puducherry rider may generally file at DCDRC Puducherry under Section 34(2), regardless of where the aggregator's registered office is located. A safety incident causing personal injury may also raise separate criminal or civil (tortious) remedies beyond the consumer complaint.

Limitation Period

Under Section 69, CPA 2019, a complaint must ordinarily be filed within two years from the date the cause of action arose — the date of the disputed ride/charge, or the date the platform's grievance process failed to resolve the complaint.

Documents Typically Needed

• Trip receipt/invoice from the app, showing the fare breakdown and any fare estimate shown at booking (screenshot)
• In-app trip history, chat/complaint records with the platform's support
• Payment record showing the amount actually charged
• Photographs/screenshots of the cancellation notice, if a wrongful cancellation charge is disputed
• Police complaint copy, for a safety incident

General Process Outline

1. Step 1 — In-app complaint: Raise the issue through the app's support/help section, and escalate in writing (email/support ticket) if not resolved.
2. Step 2 — Legal notice: A written notice to the aggregator setting out the grievance and relief sought.
3. Step 3 — File the complaint: Under Section 35, with supporting documents and affidavit, at DCDRC Puducherry, online via e-jagriti.gov.in or in person.
4. Step 4 — Admission and hearing: Per Section 36 (admission, ordinarily within 21 days of filing) and Section 38 (notice to the opposite party within 21 days of admission; response within 30 days, extendable by 15 days), then hearing and evidence.
5. Step 5 — Order: Under Section 39, the Commission may direct relief it considers appropriate on the facts proved; the Act does not fix or guarantee any specific outcome.