Cab & Bus Complaint Letter — NCH & Consumer Commission

How to file a App / operator grievance → National Consumer Helpline → District Consumer Commission complaint

1. 1

   Raise the grievance in the app first

   Open the ride/booking → Help/Support → report the exact issue (overcharge, wrong cancellation fee, safety, no refund) and ask for a refund. Screenshot your request and their reply. This shows you gave the platform a chance to fix it.

2. 2

   Generate the formal letter with Nyaykar

   Tell us the app/operator, the ride or booking ID, the fare quoted vs charged, and what happened. Nyaykar drafts the letter citing CPA 2019 § 2(11) (deficiency in service), § 2(47) (unfair trade practice), and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020 — grounded, with no invented provisions.

3. 3

   File with the National Consumer Helpline (1915)

   If the app refuses, file on the National Consumer Helpline (consumerhelpline.gov.in, 1915). NCH contacts the aggregator on your behalf and often resolves fare and refund disputes within days — no fee.

4. 4

   Escalate to a Consumer Commission for a binding order

   For a binding refund or compensation, file at the District Consumer Commission via e-Jagriti (e-jagriti.gov.in). Aggregators also fall under the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines 2020. Court fee is NIL up to ₹5 lakh; you have 2 years from the cause of action (Section 69).

Frequently asked questions

Uber/Ola ne quote se zyada charge kiya — refund milega?

A final fare materially above the fare you were quoted (beyond disclosed surge) is a deficiency in service and unfair trade practice under CPA 2019. Screenshot the in-app quote and the receipt, demand a refund in the app, and if refused, file with the National Consumer Helpline (1915) or a Consumer Commission.

I was charged a cancellation fee when the driver cancelled or never showed. Is that valid?

No. A cancellation charge levied for the driver's no-show or the driver's own cancellation is not payable by you. Report it in-app with the ride ID; if not reversed, it is a wrongful charge you can recover through the National Consumer Helpline or a Consumer Commission under CPA 2019 § 2(11).

RedBus/operator cancelled my bus but won't refund. What now?

A cancelled service with the fare withheld is a straightforward deficiency in service. Keep the booking ID and payment proof, raise it with the platform, then file with the National Consumer Helpline (1915). The platform can't disclaim liability under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020.

Is the app liable, or only the driver / bus operator?

Both can be named. The aggregator you paid is a service provider under CPA 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020, and it can't escape liability by pointing at the driver or operator. Naming both in one complaint stops either from passing the buck.

Something unsafe happened during my ride. Where do I complain?

Report it in the app immediately and to the police if it's a safety/criminal matter. Separately, unsafe or negligent service is a deficiency you can raise with the National Consumer Helpline and a Consumer Commission; aggregators also have safety obligations under the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines 2020.

How much does it cost to complain?

The National Consumer Helpline (1915) is free, and a District Consumer Commission has NIL court fee for claims up to ₹5 lakh — well above any cab or bus fare — so filing costs nothing.

How long do I have to file?

2 years from the cause of action (the date of the ride or booking) under Section 69 of the Consumer Protection Act 2019. Raise the in-app grievance quickly so the ride record and receipt are preserved.