As continuous rains and the subsequent deluge continue to throw normal life out of gear in Bengaluru, cab-hailing service Uber is being questioned on social media for charging exorbitant prices from commuters.
A user recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share how Uber charged him extremely high prices for a distance of merely 12 km. The user said that he and his family were stuck in the rain with a small kid.
“Why such high prices? @Uber_India If a family is stuck in the rain with a small kid, is this what we expect from you? This is beyond shameless monopoly and utter nonsense. For 12 km in rains, how much can you charge? Humanity is lost. Bangalore traffic and then these mafias,” the user wrote.
His post left the internet divided, with some claiming that Uber was well within its rights to charge this much. Others, however, backed the user.
“My guess is rain -> traffic -> more travel time -> more price…..travel time plays a major part in price,” a user commented.
“Typically drivers tend to not accept bookings under those conditions for regular prices. Only way to get more drivers to accept more rides at those times is to offer them more money,” a second user said.
“Do you know how much traffic jam is? The driver has to pass through all of these. Since no one is willing to come hence the price fluctuations… Ask the govt not the company,” a third user explained.
“This is a normal things for @Uber_India @rapidobikeapp in rain, they keep increasing the price,s they have no shame in hiking prices which are not at all justifiable, and the sad part is govt is not even looking into these things,” a fourth user wrote.
“If you give your details, they will scam you. Forward this to the traffic police,” yet another user noted.
Bengaluru experienced its heaviest rainfall since 2017, recording 104 mm in a single day, leading to widespread disruption. The deluge resulted in the deaths of five people, including Shashikala, killed by a wall collapse, and two others who were electrocuted.
In response, the government is investing ₹2,000 crore to build 197 km of stormwater drains, having already fixed 70% of identified flood-prone areas. “Seventy per cent of the 210 flood-prone areas identified in the city have been fixed,” confirmed officials.
The heavy rainfall paralysed traffic and led to the suspension of BMTC bus services in affected areas like Koramangala and Marathahalli. BJP MP PC Mohan advocated for IT companies to implement work-from-home policies to mitigate road congestion and enhance safety.
Additionally, in Karnataka, two more fatalities occurred due to lightning strikes, raising concerns about the region’s vulnerability to severe weather. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Bengaluru and a yellow alert for 23 districts in Karnataka, forecasting further heavy rainfall.
The IMD continues to warn residents of more rain, urging preparedness amidst the adverse weather conditions.
