The Commission directed Uber India to pay ₹10,000 as compensation to a customer named Ashwani Prashar and deposit ₹10,000 in the legal aid account.
The customer lodged a complaint after being charged ₹1,334 by Uber for an 8.83 km ride. Chandigarh resident Prashar stated in his complaint that he utilized a cab service through the ride-hailing app Uber on August 6, 2021. He alleged that despite the 8.83-km ride lasting just 15 minutes, from 10:40 pm to 10:57 pm, he was charged ₹1,334, which amounts to approximately ₹150 per kilometer. Prashar filed the complaint after his numerous attempts to seek redressal of his grievance through chats and emails with Uber yielded no response.
Uber India responded by stating that the upfront fare displayed to the rider was ₹359. Nevertheless, the final fare amounted to ₹1,334 due to multiple route deviations during the journey from AG Colony, Audit Phool Colony, Sector 41-B, Chandigarh to Sector 48-B, Chandigarh. The company further stated that it serves solely as an intermediary between the rider and the driver, and is not a party to any agreement between them concerning the route taken for any journey.
While ruling in favor of the complainant, the Disputes Redressal Commission characterized the issue as an “unfair trade practice.”
