The Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities for Delhi T D Dhariyal
has taken suo moto cognisance of the financial loss and discrimination faced
by disability rights activist and National Centre for Promotion of Employment
of Persons with Disabilities (NCPEDP) Executive Director Arman Ali while
using the services of cab aggregator Uber in Chennai earlier this year. This
is a first of its kind order against a private cab aggregator in
India.
“It is unacceptable to refuse to provide services based on where someone
is going, or characteristics like a person’s race, caste, religion, national
origin, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, gender identity,
age or any other characteristic protected under relevant central, state or
local law. Actions like these will result in permanent deactivation of your
account.”
Tough words from Delhi Disabilities Commissioner T D
Dhariyal for private cab aggregator Uber India Pvt.
Ltd. over an incident this year when disability rights activist and
National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Persons with
Disabilities (NCPEDP) Executive Director Arman Ali was subjected to
financial loss and discrimination.
In June this year, Ali, who has 80% locomotor disability, had booked an Uber
in Chennai to go to the airport. The first driver cancelled the ride while
the second refused to fit his wheelchair in the car and later cancelled the
ride. Ali was left stranded with his luggage and ended up missing meetings
and had to buy a fresh ticket, incurring a loss of ₹ 14,000.
Mr Dhariyal took suo moto cognisance of the incident and on June 24 issued a
notice to Uber recommending that it offer compensation for the additional
cost incurred by Ali.
I held two hearings but no one from Uber attended any of them. They have
many officers so it took some effort to find their emails and we had to get
tough with them. Uber has excellent policies on paper but I told them those
policies have to be implemented. They have to sensitise their drivers and
other staff. – T D Dhariyal, Commissioner for Persons with
Disabilities, Delhi
In its response, Uber said that it had warned the driver against
discrimination but admitted that there was no “on-ground control of driver
partners”.
Among the set of recommendations given by Mr Dhariyal is that that Uber
introduce training modules for its employees and driver partners on the
provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD)
Act. The order also says penalties should be imposed for
discrimination and non-compliance and that disabled travellers be compensated
for any loss. Uber has been given three months to comply.
The Commissioner also recommended that the Ministry of Heavy
Industries and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways frame a
policy for manufacturing disabled-friendly cars and vehicles that can be used
by people with disabilities.
“If the wheelchairs do not fit into the boots of cars then the cars have to
be re-designed”, Mr Dhariyal told NewzHook. “It is as simple
as that. Universal Design standards have to be applied everywhere. After all,
are they not applied to Uber vehicles in the West? Why have cars that do not
follow these design norms?”
Mr Dhariyal plans to hold meetings with the Society of Indian
Automobile Manufacturers(SIAM) in the coming weeks to urge
compliance with Universal Design standards.
