NCW calls for mandatory SOS buttons, driver background checks and enhanced safety measures for women passengers.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has recommended a range of measures to improve the safety of women using app-based transport services, including detailed driver background checks, mandatory physical SOS buttons in cabs, enhanced safeguards for night-time travel and real-time alerts for route deviations or suspicious stoppages. The recommendations come against the backdrop of several reported cases of harassment and assault of women passengers using app-based transport services, PTI has reported.
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, requesting them to take appropriate measures to implement the guidelines.
The NCW has also noted concerns over mismatches between driver or vehicle identities, route deviations, inappropriate conduct, stalking, unsafe drop-offs and delays in emergency response.
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NCW Guidelines
The women's rights body said it has issued the "Guidelines for Safety of Women Passengers Using App-Based and Digital Transport Mobility Services". The guidelines aim to strengthen preventive safeguards, coordination between institutions and response mechanisms at different stages of a woman's journey, covering the period before a ride begins, during the journey and after its completion.
The NCW has also called for coordination with app-based mobility aggregators and the appointment of a nodal officer in the Transport Department. It has also recommended coordination between Transport Departments, Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), state police and mobility aggregators to ensure timely responses to complaints and incidents involving women passengers.
The guidelines have been framed in furtherance of the commission's statutory mandate to safeguard the rights and dignity of women, the NCW said.
They also take into account the recommendations of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee Report, 2013, and the regulatory framework under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Driver And Vehicle Verification A Key Safety Measure
Under the guidelines, aggregators have been asked to ensure that the driver and vehicle assigned to a passenger match the details displayed on the application. Any unauthorised change in the driver or vehicle should be flagged in the application and treated as a safety concern.
Women passengers may be allowed to cancel a ride without a cancellation charge if the driver or vehicle does not match the details shown on the application. Such cases may be recorded by the aggregator for further review.
The NCW has also recommended appropriate verification of drivers' criminal antecedents, police verification and background checks before onboarding. Periodic re-verification has also been suggested as an additional safety measure.
Drivers should undergo regular training on gender sensitisation, appropriate conduct with women passengers, prevention of sexual harassment, personal boundaries and handling emergency situations. The guidelines said such training should include practical components rather than being limited to an online or tick-box exercise.
Cab aggregators may also work towards maintaining a verified pool of women drivers. Subject to availability and feasibility, women travelling alone may be given an option to request a woman driver through the application.
Enhanced Safety Measures For Night Travel
For late-night journeys, aggregators have been asked to introduce enhanced mechanisms for driver verification and monitoring. These may include mandatory driver photo verification at the beginning of a trip, measures to address driver intoxication, automatic sharing of ride details with trusted contacts where the passenger opts for it, enhanced Command and Control Centre monitoring and a safe-drop option.
For pooled rides, aggregators may ensure that no unauthorised passenger is added. The application may also display verified co-passenger details, subject to applicable privacy and data-protection requirements.
The guidelines call for technological systems capable of detecting significant or unexplained deviations from the expected route and generating real-time alerts for both the passenger and aggregator to enable timely intervention.
Aggregators should also have mechanisms to identify prolonged stoppages or unusual movement patterns, particularly in isolated or vulnerable locations, and may initiate appropriate safety checks where necessary.
24x7 Command And Control Centres
The NCW has recommended a dedicated 24x7 Command and Control Centre capable of receiving, monitoring and responding to SOS and emergency alerts raised by passengers. The centre may respond to SOS alerts within 60 seconds, coordinate with local police and initiate appropriate emergency protocols.
Where emergency intervention is required, relevant information such as booking details, driver identity, vehicle registration number and passenger location may be shared with emergency contacts and law-enforcement authorities, subject to applicable law.
The guidelines also recommend that every cab have a physical SOS button within easy reach of the passenger. Activating the button may immediately alert the Command and Control Centre and facilitate the sharing of live location and trip details.
For senior women travelling alone, aggregators may offer an option to flag the passenger as requiring assistance. Drivers may also be required to wait until the passenger has safely entered or exited the vehicle.
Safe Drop-Offs And Emergency Response
The guidelines state that drivers should not end rides at unsafe, isolated or unauthorised locations. A journey should ordinarily end at the destination selected by the passenger. If a change is necessary for a genuine reason, it should be communicated to the passenger and, wherever possible, the revised location should be confirmed through the application.
"Extra care should be taken in respect of women travelling alone at night," the guidelines added.
Aggregators may establish a dedicated, time-bound grievance redressal mechanism for complaints involving driver misconduct, harassment, assault, route deviation, unauthorised driver or vehicle substitution and failure of emergency-response mechanisms.
The mechanism may provide for acknowledgement within two hours and resolution within 72 hours. Cases involving cognisable offences may be escalated to the police, while relevant electronic evidence may be preserved for at least 180 days, subject to applicable law. Complaints requiring police intervention may be promptly referred to the appropriate law-enforcement authority. The complainant should also be informed about the available process and remedies.
Preservation Of Electronic Evidence
The NCW has also suggested preserving relevant electronic evidence following safety-related complaints. This may include booking records, driver and vehicle details, journey and location data and other relevant records, in accordance with applicable law and data-protection requirements.
Aggregators may also consider providing functional dash cameras in vehicles, particularly to record the road-facing journey environment. The guidelines call for periodic reviews of women's passenger safety measures and maintenance of records relating to safety incidents, complaints, emergency alerts, driver-related violations and action taken on them.
"Aggregators should also periodically review and update their safety protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on safety incidents, complaints, technological developments and directions or recommendations of competent authorities, including the NCW," it was quoted as saying.
The NCW said women must be able to travel without fear, whether they use public transport or app-based mobility services.
"As technology continues to reshape the way people travel, safety must remain at the centre of this transformation. A coordinated effort by State authorities, police, transport authorities and mobility aggregators is essential to ensure that every woman can travel with confidence, security and dignity," the NCW chief was quoted as saying.
