Uber set to restart cab service in India’s Delhi

Just a month after it was banned, U.S. online taxi-hailing service Uber has restarted operations in the Indian capital. Uber’s apps were working in New Delhi on Friday after the company agreed to apply for a radio taxi licence, a spokesman said. The company previously said the licence did not apply to a technology company that connects passengers with drivers. Delhi’s transport department barred and blacklisted Uber from operating in Delhi in December after a woman alleged she fell asleep in an Uber cab and was driven to a deserted area and was raped by the driver. Public outrage was further fuelled when authorities revealed the suspect was on bail for sexual assault, and after Uber acknowledged that it did not carry out background checks on drivers in India.

Over the past few weeks, we have had many conversations with our rider and driver communities, and we are aware that they eagerly want Uber back on Delhi roads. Our driver-partners’ livelihoods had been severely impacted, and our riders were left without the platform they had come to rely upon for their daily needs.

Uber statement

Uber will improve passenger safety by introducing additional safety measures including more stringent driver checks, an in-app emergency button and a dedicated incident response team, the company said. Uber said it’s setting an even higher standard than current industry requirements and the company is committed to make transportation safe in Indian cities. The U.S. company, which was valued at $40 billion last month, has been dogged by clashes with local governments and concerns about safety.

Our teams have worked tirelessly to develop new safety features (including an in-app emergency button) nationwide, establish a dedicated incident response team and re-verify the full credentials of every driver-partner on the Uber platform in Delhi.

Uber statement

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