Delhi HC Seeks Rapido’s Response on Plea for Accessibility in Services for Disabled Individuals

The Delhi High Court recently sought a response from cab aggregator Rapido on a plea seeking directives to address issues encountered by disabled individuals while utilizing their services.

It was conveyed to the High Court that despite six updates issued, challenges faced by disabled persons remain unresolved. Justice Subramonium Prasad has issued notice to Rapido, seeking its response by April 2, 2024.

The court was also informed about multiple updates to the mobile application by the respondent. The High Court is handling a petition seeking directives to ensure the company’s services are accessible and disabled-friendly.

On November 9, 2023, the High Court issued notice to Rapido and the Central government, seeking their responses.

The petition was filed by Amar Jain, a corporate lawyer, legal policymaker, and disability rights activist who has been blind since birth, along with Dipto Ghosh, a banker at the Indian Bank in Siliguri, West Bengal, with total visual impairment. The petition, represented by advocate Rahul Bajaj, is against Roppen Transport Services Private Ltd. (Rapido), a mobile application providing Indian bike taxis and logistics services. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability (DEPWD), Government of India, have also been named as respondents.

The petitioners, both working individuals, frequently use the Rapido mobile app to commute from their homes to workplaces and other destinations. The plea states that accessibility issues with the application significantly hinder their usage. Several incidents were mentioned where Amar Jain faced obstacles while trying to book a ride on the Rapido app. He attempted to address the matter with the Co-founder of Rapido through his NGO, informing them of the app’s issues.

Additionally, petitioner Dipto Ghosh faced an incident where he was refused a ride by a Rapido ‘Captain’ due to his disability and was humiliated as a result. Although a petition was initiated at the time, it was later closed after receiving an apology and assurance from Rapido regarding the suspension of the said Captain’s ID.

The petitioners have requested directives to the Ministry and DEPWD to instruct Rapido to take immediate, effective, and comprehensive measures in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, to safeguard the rights and accessibility of persons with disabilities. They have sought mandates including accessibility audits, staff training, implementation of accessibility standards, and app feature improvements within a strict one-month timeframe. They have also requested Rapido to conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of its ride booking mobile app within a reasonable six-month timeframe to rectify all accessibility barriers for individuals with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. Additionally, they have requested directives for Rapido to collaborate with digital accessibility experts and provide specialized training to customer care representatives to address accessibility-related concerns promptly. Furthermore, they have sought penalties under Section 89 of the RPWD Act, 2016, for Rapido’s failure to make its app accessible despite repeated attempts by the petitioners. They have also requested the Ministry to establish a strong legal mandate and operational guidance for cab aggregators to ensure disability-friendly offerings.