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“The events of this week have made us reflect on our operations in India and we are immediately undertaking a number of important actions. During this review, we will suspend operations in New Delhi,” it said.
In a late evening statement, the company said it was conducting a full audit of its verification, rider feedback and support processes, apart from assessing its driver-screening method. “We are evaluating additional screening options to include background checks on all our driver partners in India, above and beyond what is currently required,” it said.
After the rape incident, the company’s service was banned not only in Delhi but most of its important centres, such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad. A First Information Report has been filed against the company and the police are debating whether or not there is a case for criminal liability. The accused driver was found to have a criminal record, and Uber has been criticised for not conducting proper background check on its drivers.
It was also revealed that one US-based Nidhi Shah had travelled with the driver in November and raised a red flag on him to the company. But Uber sat on the complaint. On Thursday, perhaps after having learnt its lessons, Uber said: “We are implementing measures to ensure critical rider feedback is escalated immediately and immediate action is taken in every instance. We are also re-reviewing rider feedback on every driver partner across India, to make sure nothing has been missed.”
The company has also offered to refund balances to the users of its cab service. Although partnership with Paytm enables consumers to use their balance across the various merchants it supports, Uber has said, “If you still wish to have your balance refunded, you may reach out to them on care@paytm.com to have your balance credited to your bank account/debit/credit card.’’
The company also said it would bring its global best practices to enhance safety efforts in India. Earlier, Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick had said in a blog post that India’s policies of required background checks on drivers had several gaps. The company has officially suspended its services in Delhi. However, it did not mention anything about its plans for Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, where it has been banned as well.
The company was also silent about meeting the Delhi government’s requirements for operating radio taxis in the city and getting the requisite licence.
“Safety is our top priority. We are fully committed to partnering with, and are in discussions with, the government, other transportation organisations and safety experts in India, to implement robust solutions for a safe ride,” the statement said.
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