Delhi High Court Directs Rapido To Ensure Continued Accessibility For Visually Impaired Users

The Delhi High Court has directed Indian ride-hailing service Rapido to ensure that its application continues to be 'disabled friendly' for its users in all respects, for as long as it remains in operation. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav underscored that there is a positive duty upon service providers to ensure that digital interfaces are inherently accessible and compatible with assistive technologies, including screen readers and other accessibility tools used by persons with visual impairment. “Any failure to incorporate such design principles would amount to a denial of effective access, thereby undermining the substantive equality guaranteed under the Act,” the Court said. Justice Kaurav disposed of a petition filed by two visually impaired individuals, including a disability rights activist, raising concerns that the Rapido app was not compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers, thereby hindering essential functions like booking, tracking, and cancelling rides. They sought directions for accessibility audits, implementation of accessibility standards, training of staff, and imposition of penalties for non-compliance.On March 19 last year, Rapido had undertaken that the application will continue to be disabled friendly and that periodic accessibility audits, preferably on a quarterly basis, will be undertaken.Closing the matter finally, the Court directed that the directions and the undertaking of Rapido as contained in March 19, 2025 order shall remain in force so long as the application stays in operation.“The respondent shall continue to undertake accessibility audits in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Rules framed thereunder,” it said. Further, the Court observed that Section 42 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, casts a clear and affirmative obligation to ensure access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities. It said that the statutory mandate is not merely aspirational in character but is a substantive equality-driven obligation flowing from the principle of non-discrimination. “The breadth of the provision demonstrates that accessibility is not confined to traditional or static forms of communication but extends to dynamic and technology-driven platforms which form part of everyday civic and commercial life. In the present digital age, mobile applications offering essential services such as transport and mobility fall squarely within the ambit of „information and communication technology‟ contemplated under Section 42,” the Court said. The Court also examined the regulatory framework, noting that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines mandating accessibility features. However, it emphasised that merely issuing guidelines is insufficient. It said that government's obligation extends to ensuring their effective, uniform and verifiable implementation across all stakeholders operating within the digital and transport ecosystem. In the context of app-based aggregators and similar technology-driven platforms, Justice Kaurav said that such oversight assumes greater significance, as accessibility is inherently dynamic and requires continuous upgradation in line with evolving technological interfaces.“The concerned Ministry shall, therefore, to ensure that the mandate of accessibility with reference to Rule 15(2) framed thereunder, is operationalised in a manner that secures real and substantive access for persons with disabilities, so that the benefits of the Act and Rules are effectively extended to Persons with disabilities and does not remain confined to normative or policy-level compliance,” the Court said. Title: AMAR JAIN AND ANR v. ROPPEN TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PVT LTD (RAPIDO) AND ORSClick here to read order

Delhi High Court Directs Rapido To Ensure Continued Accessibility For Visually Impaired Users

Nupur Thapliyal

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