Days after it was slammed, ridiculed and banned following rape of a woman in Delhi by an Uber driver, the global cab booking firm has sent out apology mail to its customer saying that it will take stringent measures to ensure passenger’s safety as priority. The San Francisco-based technology company was yesterday banned from operating its services in New Delhi.
In a personalised letter, Uber India has said, “We are sorry and deeply saddened by what happened over the weekend in New Delhi. Our hearts go out to the victim of this horrible crime. We have been and will continue to do everything in our power to assist the authorities to help bring the perpetrator to justice.”
The last five days have been very tumultuous for the company after it faced public outrage for not taking any responsibility of the incident. The company, which entered the Indian market a year-ago by disrupting the taxi services market, was also accused of violating certain road and transport rules and regulations.
“The week has 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,” the letter said.
Terming that India is an important market for Uber, the company said that it would conduct full audit of verification, rider feedback and support processes besides implementing measures to ensure that critical rider feedback is escalated immediately and immediate action is taken in every instance. It is also re-reviewing rider feedback on every driver partner across India to make sure nothing has been missed.
The company is evaluating additional screening options to include background checks on all drivers in India above and beyond what is currently required and would partner closely with organisations that are working towards women’s safety in the country.
Uber is a mobile-based application that connects drivers and customers directly on its digital platform. Uber’s website and mobile app has pictures of women seeking cabs, which also shows that women are target customers. “Safety is our top priority. We are investing in technology advances to help make cities a safer place. Your support means a lot to us. We will come back better and stronger for the New Delhi community, ready to serve you again,” it added.
Meanwhile, it has urged all its customers, who have stored money in its digital wallet, can get it refunded or credited in their bank accounts. Uber had tied up with payment solution provider Paytm for all transactions happening on its application in the country.