NEW DELHI: Taking note of concerns from across the country on safety of women using app-based and digital mobility services, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked states and UTs to strengthen preventive safeguards, institutional coordination and response mechanisms at different stages of a woman passenger’s journey.
Highlighting that as cabs, auto-rickshaws, bike taxis and other app-enabled transport services have become an integral part of everyday mobility, particularly for women travelling independently, the NCW said that ensuring their safety throughout the journey has assumed greater importance.
To address the safety of women using these app-based transport services, the NCW have also framed guidelines, which adopts a journey-based approach to safety, covering measures before the commencement of a ride, during the journey and after its completion.
The guidelines focusses on real-time route-deviation alerts; monitoring of prolonged or suspicious stoppages, including stoppage at particularly in isolated or vulnerable locations; real-time sharing of journey information, and providing an SOS button to a woman passenger.
The aim behind the guidelines is to prevent incidents, prompt intervention in emergencies, and ensure accountability of stakeholders and effective grievance redressal.
The initiative also seeks to bring greater responsibility and coordination within the app-based mobility ecosystem and to ensure that safety does not end with the booking of a ride or the completion of a trip, but remains an integral part of the entire passenger experience.
According to NCW Chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, “Women must be able to travel without fear, whether they are using public transport or app-based mobility services. As technology continues to reshape the way people travel, safety must remain at the centre of this transformation.”
“A coordinated effort by state authorities, police, transport authorities and mobility aggregators is essential to ensure that every woman can travel with confidence, security and dignity,” said the NCW Chief, who also wrote to the chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories, requesting them to take appropriate measures for implementation of the guidelines.
Rahatkar in her communication also emphasised coordination with app-based mobility aggregators, designation of a nodal officer in the Transport Department, and coordination among the Transport Department, RTOs, State Police and mobility aggregators for timely response to complaints and incidents involving women passengers.
The NCW came out with the guidelines after several instances and concerns relating to mismatch in driver or vehicle identity, route deviation, inappropriate conduct, harassment, stalking, unsafe drop-offs, delays in emergency response and inadequate grievance redressal came out, thus underlining the need for a coordinated and accountable safety framework.
The guidelines emphasize on verification of driver and vehicle. It said that aggregators shall ensure that the driver and vehicle assigned to a passenger match the details displayed on the application. "Any unauthorised change in the driver or vehicle should be appropriately flagged in the application and treated as a safety concern."
It also talks about penalty-free cancellation in case of identity mismatch.
Thrust was also given to verification of background and criminal antecedents of drivers.
The NCW also emphasised on periodic safety and gender-sensitisation training. “Drivers shall undergo regular training on gender sensitisation, appropriate conduct with women passengers, prevention of sexual harassment, personal boundaries and handling of emergency situations.”
The guidelines said that subject to availability and feasibility, women travelling alone may be provided an option to request a woman driver through the application.
It also proposed a 24×7 command and control centre. This centre, the guidelines said, should be capable of receiving, monitoring and responding to SOS and emergency alerts raised by passengers. “The Command-and-Control Centre may respond to SOS alerts within 60 seconds and may coordinate with local police and initiate appropriate emergency protocols.”
On safety measures during night, the NCW said that aggregators shall adopt enhanced mechanisms for verification and monitoring of drivers operating during late-night hours.
“Measures may include mandatory driver photo verification at trip commencement, measures addressing driver intoxication, auto-sharing of ride details with trusted contacts where opted for by the passenger, enhanced Command and Control Centre monitoring and a safe-drop option at the end of the ride.”
On car-pooling, it said that aggregators may ensure that no unauthorised passenger is added to a pooled ride. “The application may display verified co-passenger details, subject to applicable privacy and data-protection requirements.”
Aggregators were also suggested to establish technological mechanisms to detect significant or unexplained deviations from the expected route and generate real-time alerts to the passenger and the aggregator for timely intervention.
On real-time sharing of journey information, the guideline said that in cases requiring emergency intervention, relevant information including booking details, driver identity, vehicle registration number and passenger location may be shared with emergency contacts and law-enforcement authorities, subject to applicable law.
On safe and appropriate drop-off, the guidelines said that the driver shall not end a ride at an unsafe, isolated or unauthorised location. The ride should ordinarily end at the destination selected by the passenger.
The “Guidelines for Safety of Women Passengers Using App-Based and Digital Transport Mobility Services,” also underlines on the need for a verified pool of women drivers; various safety measures during night-time; time-bound grievance redressal mechanism; escalation of complaints to law-enforcement authorities; preservation of electronic evidence; periodic compliance and safety reporting; and review of safety protocols and standard operating procedures.