Anurag Kumar Singh, a college student visiting Bengaluru from Kolkata, encountered a shocking experience after booking an Ola cab from Kempegowda airport to Mathikere. Initially shown a fare of Rs 730 on the app, Singh was stunned when the driver demanded Rs 5,194 upon reaching his destination.
Singh, who booked a “mini” taxi, was directed to the first car in the queue.After sharing the OTP, he proceeded with the ride. However, upon reaching his destination, the driver presented a phone screen displaying the exorbitant fare.
“I was in disbelief,” Singh stated. “Even if I toured the entire city, Rs 5,000 wouldn’t be justified.” Checking his phone, he discovered the trip was canceled on his end, making the situation even more confusing.
Luckily, Singh was a cautious passenger. He had a habit of capturing screenshots of app homepages after booking rides. This foresight allowed him to raise the issue with Ola’s customer support, aware of potential fare discrepancies.
Negotiation with the driver, who argued in Kannada, proved challenging for the non-speaking Singh. Fortunately, his neighbors intervened and helped settle the matter for Rs 1,600 – double the initial fare. The driver only conceded after the police station was mentioned.
Despite raising the issue through the app and social media, Singh calimed that he received no response from Ola.