NCW issues safety guidelines to step-up monitoring of app-based transport services

The NCW issued guidelines for the safety of women using app-based cabs (representative image)

NEW DELHI: Taking note of safety concerns emerging from across states the National Commission for Women has issued guidelines to states and UTs for safety of women passengers using app-based and digital transport services calling for appropriate verification of criminal antecedents, police verification and background of drivers before onboarding, monitoring of drivers operating during late-night hours and providing SOS buttons in every cab to send out alerts to the command-and-control centre.The NCW notes 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, ensuring safety throughout the journey has assumed greater importance.Instances 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 underline the need for a coordinated and accountable safety framework.The guidelines issued in this backdrop also take into consideration the recommendations of the Justice J S Verma Committee Report, 2013, and the regulatory framework under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, issued by the ministry of road transport and highways.NCW chairperosn Vijaya Rahatkar, has written to the chief secretaries of all states and UTs, requesting appropriate measures for implementation of the guidelines.Bringing focus on verification of driver and vehicle, the guidelines lay down that the 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 shall be appropriately flagged in the application and treated as a safety concern,” it asserts. The guidelines also call for mechanisms for real-time alerts for route deviations or suspicious stoppages.The guidelines also call for penalty-free cancellation in case of identity mismatch. The guidelines also lay down that the aggregators must strive to maintain a verified pool of women drivers, enabling women travelling alone with the option to request a woman driver through the application.

Calling for enhanced verification and monitoring of drivers operating during late-night hours, the guidelines set out measures ranging from mandatory driver photo verification at trip commencement, addressing driver intoxication, enhanced command and control centre monitoring and a safe-drop option at the end of the ride.“Aggregators may establish a dedicated and time-bound grievance redressal mechanism for complaints relating to driver misconduct, harassment, assault, route deviation, unauthorised driver or vehicle substitution and failure of emergency-response mechanisms,” the guidelines state.