A distressing incident involving Ola Cabs has highlighted serious safety concerns for passengers, particularly women. Shazia, a senior manager at Genpact, shared her harrowing ordeal on LinkedIn, recounting an experience that unfolded on December 20, 2024, at around 1:30 pm IST, while she was traveling to Gurgaon.
After crossing a toll, Shazia noticed her Ola driver inexplicably slowing down. When questioned, the driver remained unresponsive. Moments later, she saw two men ahead signaling the driver to pull over, and shockingly, the driver complied without explanation.
The situation escalated further when two more men on bikes joined, making it a total of five men, including the driver. The driver’s cryptic comment, “Meri kist pending hai” (my installment is due), only heightened Shazia’s fear. Despite her insistence to continue the trip, the driver appeared complicit as the men approached the cab.
Feeling increasingly unsafe, Shazia made a split-second decision to open the right-side door and flee the vehicle. “It was an extremely traumatic experience,” she wrote.
To add to her distress, the SOS button on the Ola app failed to function during the ordeal. Shazia later filed a complaint with Ola (Ticket #7210244) but expressed disappointment over the company’s lack of response even 24 hours after the incident. She criticized the absence of accountability and urgency, calling out Ola and its CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, to take immediate action.
“Passenger safety is not just a feature—it’s a fundamental responsibility,” Shazia emphasized, urging the ride-hailing giant to ensure such incidents do not recur.
Ola, which has previously touted safety measures through initiatives like its '10 Steps to a Safer Ride' program, has faced scrutiny following this incident. The program includes features like driver training and mandatory background checks, but Shazia’s experience underscores critical gaps in implementation and responsiveness.
The incident has sparked widespread concern, with many urging stricter safety protocols and improved app functionalities. Shazia’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities passengers, especially women, face when relying on ride-hailing services.
Ola has yet to release an official statement addressing the incident. Shazia’s account calls for urgent reforms to ensure passenger safety and to restore trust in ride-hailing platforms.
