Cab commute traumatic, fare surges, nothing but extortion

HYDERABAD: The non-stop rain lashing the city since Tuesday has made commute difficult for many, especially those dependent on cabs as they are forced to shell out exorbitant amounts to reach their destinations.
Many complained that cab aggregators were cancelling trips, and those willing to accept the ride were charging three to four times the normal price."The fare from my office to home has increased by more than five times. The ride would normally cost 200 but yesterday I had to pay around 1,200 to reach from Financial District to my home in Serilingampally," said Ravi Kiran, an IT employee.
Another techie, Ashish P, who travels from Uppal to JNTUH for work, said: "I normally prefer to take the metro, but it is not an option now as they are overcrowded. I am not even getting cabs as most drivers are cancelling rides. Reaching the office has become a costly affair."
Many daily commuters said most drivers are unwilling to accept the ride for the price shown in apps.
"I booked a cab on the app at a price double the normal fare. But the driver called and refused to come for that price. He wanted more than triple the app price. He only agreed to come when I offered to pay the amount he asked in cash," said Sowjanya A, a private employee.
Not just in the city, but those travelling to the airport also complained about the surge in prices.
"The normal fare from Begumpet to the airport is 700 to 800. But one of the cab aggregators was asking for more than 2,000. Other drivers cancelled the trips after asking for the fare displayed on the app," tweeted Anuj Gurwara with the handle @AnujGurwara, adding that he decided to drive instead as the parking fee would be more or less the same as the cab fare.