Delhi High Court: In a case highlighting the accessibility issues in the Rapido Android App, Sachin Datta, J., directed Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to file an affidavit to place on record the regulatory mechanism that was in place to ensure that the application/s, such as the one introduced by Roppen Transportation Services (P) Ltd. (Rapido) (‘Respondent 1’), comply with the necessary requirements for being disabled friendly prior to their launch, and have all requisite accessibility features as mandated under the law, particularly, under Rule 15 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017.
In the present case, vide order dated 06-12-2024, the present Court took note of the submissions made by Respondent 1 that it had engaged certain agencies for carrying out an accessibility audit. It was also stated that the report prepared based on the said audit (‘the Accessibility Audit Report’) should be submitted before this Court within a period of one month from the said date.
During the course of the present proceedings, the Court noted that the Accessibility Audit Report was received by Respondent 1 yesterday. The Court noted that the certificate revealed an alarming state of affairs inasmuch as 207 accessibility issues was identified in the ‘Rapido Android App’. Notably, 81 of these issues were referred to as “High Impact (P0)”.
The Court stated that it was evident that the application of Respondent 1 was far from being ‘disabled friendly’. In this background, petitioner’s counsel strenuously contended that stern action to be taken against Respondent 1 and a penalty be imposed under Section 89 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The Court observed that Respondent 1 assured and undertook, that all the accessibility issues referred to in the Accessibility Audit Report as also any other issue that might arise, should be duly addressed by Respondent 1 and the application of the Respondent 1 should be made “disabled friendly” in all respects, latest within a period of 4 months. Further, it was assured and undertaken, on instructions, that adequate steps should be taken to ensure that the application continues to be ‘disabled friendly’ in all respects, for as long as the same was in operation.
The Court stated that any breach of the aforesaid undertaking should be construed as wilful disobedience of the order/s of this Court.
Thereafter, the Court directed Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to file an affidavit to place on record the regulatory mechanism that was in place to ensure that the application/s, such as the one introduced by Respondent 1, comply with the necessary requirements for being disabled friendly prior to their launch, and have all requisite accessibility features as mandated under the law, particularly, under Rule 15 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017.
The Court stated that the said aspect be adverted to in the affidavit to be filed by Respondent 2. The Court granted the last opportunity to Respondent 2 to file the same within a period of 4 weeks from today, failing which, the Joint Secretary concerned of Respondent 2 should personally remain present in Court, on the next date of hearing.
The matter would next be listed on 13-08-2025.
[Amar Jain v. Roppen Transportation Services (P) Ltd. (Rapido), W.P.(C) 14735 of 2023, decided on 19-03-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioners: Rahul Bajaj and, Sarah and Aman Jain, Advocates
For the Respondents: Vardhman Kaushik, Dhruv Joshi, Vinay Kaushik, Advocates; Rahul Sharma, SPC and Mani Kant, Advocates; Gaurav Prajapati, Legal Consultant, DEPwD
