Hot & hassled inside Pune cabs, as drivers refuse to switch on AC

Pune: Residents opting to travel by cabs have complained that despite the sweltering heat, drivers are either refusing to switch on the air conditioners — leaving commuters hot and hassled — or demanding extra money for the service.Working professional Payal Kumar had booked a Rapido cab from Vimannagar to Deccan on Monday evening. She was forced to pay Rs300 instead of Rs200 as was reflected on the app. "The driver said the rate of Rs25 per km will apply and the fare came to Rs300. I asked him why he was charging extra and he said it was because I had insisted that the AC be switched on. I checked with the company's customer care and was told it was wrong of the driver to demand more money," she told TOI.Pune cabbies have been charging fares according to a website for a year now. Recently, after a driver bit a customer's fingers following a conflict over the amount being charged, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik had assured investigation and action against problems being caused by cab drivers. However, nothing has happened on the ground."I was travelling to Koregaon Park from the Pune airport last week in an Uber cab. The driver refused to turn on the AC. When I insisted, he said I would have to pay Rs100 over and above the fare as AC charge. The excuse was high CNG prices, which were expected to shoot up further, and that regular Uber cabs (Uber Go) were non-AC. I cancelled the ride immediately," said Delhi resident Hardeep Nahar, who was visiting Pune for business.Teacher Ashwin Dixit of BT Kawde Road had to cancel two rides, recently. "I am aware of this pay-by-meter antic and have made peace with it, since authorities are not taking any action. Also, nowadays, cab drivers get violent and abusive. On Friday, one driver asked for Rs50 and the other Rs150 extra as AC charges when I booked the rides. I cancelled on them because the fare, which stood at Rs.160 on the app, would be more than Rs300 in the end. I took an autorickshaw to my destination at the Season's Mall," he said.RTO officials continue with their plea to commuters to reach out on their WhatsApp number to file such complaints.Meanwhile, a Rapido spokesperson told TOI: "We would like to categorically say that Rapido has not issued any directive telling drivers to switch off ACs during rides. Any such claims are incorrect and do not reflect our policies. In Pune, all Rapido cabs are mandated to operate with ACs on, without exception. It is a non-negotiable standard, particularly given the city's demanding weather conditions."The spokesperson said, "Rapido is going to introduce an in-app welcome announcement for Pune customers that will go on once the ride OTP is entered. The automated message will remind both riders and drivers to ensure the AC is switched on at the start of every trip."TOI sent queries to Uber, but there was no response till the time of going to press.