Bengaluru CEO travelling to AI summit says cab driver refused AC, demanded extra fare

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has complained of his “deeply uncomfortable and unsafe” experience on a Namma Yatri cab. Dhananjay Yadav was on his way to the Bengaluru airport so he could catch a flight to Delhi, where he will take part in the ongoing India AI Impact Summit. Yadav is the co-founder and CEO of NeoSapien, the company behind a wearable AI device that is capable of tracking conversations and analysing emotions.Dhananjay Yadav complained about his uncomfortable cab experience.However, his journey to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport was marred an unpleasant cab experience, about which he later posted on X.“Almost like a hostage”Yadav said he booked an AC cab via Namma Yatri, but the driver refused to turn on the AC. Instead, he claimed that his cab was a non-AC one, refusing to believe the booking on the app.The issues did not end there. The driver then demanded extra money from Yadav, claiming the fare displayed on the app did not apply to him.“Felt almost like a hostage on my cab ride to the airport today,” the Bengaluru-based entrepreneur posted on X.“Booked an AC cab via Namma Yatri for my flight to Delhi (Impact AI Summit). The driver refused to turn on the AC, claiming it was a non-AC ride — despite the app clearly showing otherwise.“He then checked the fare of Rs. 844 on my phone and demanded extra, saying it’s a “metered taxi” at Rs.24/km. I insed I’d pay as per the app. He refused,” Yadav continued.“Deeply uncomfortable”With the driver refusing to go the fare displayed on the Namma Yatri app, Yadav decided he would not ride in the cab at all. Unfortunately, even that did not happen — the cab driver refused to let him take another cab, unless he paid ₹844.“When I asked him to drop me so I could book another cab, he said he wouldn’t let me go unless I paid ₹844,” Yadav posted on X.Eventually, the CEO of NeoSapien had to give in to the driver’s demands, just so he could reach the airport on time.He called the experience deeply unsafe and uncomfortable. “This was a deeply uncomfortable and unsafe experience. I’ve raised a complaint hoping stricter action is taken. Customer safety cannot be compromised,” Yadav said.Namma Yatri respondsNamma Yatri is a government-backed, zero-commission ride-hailing app that started in Bengaluru in 2022.The official account of the Namma Yatri app responded to Yadav’s complaint and took note of the incident. It said that a full refund had been issued to Yadav.“Dhananjay, we apologize for your uncomfortable experience. We spoke with you on call, the refund has been processed, and necessary action is being taken to ensure your future rides are safe and hassle-free. Thank you for your support,” said Namma Yatri.(Also read: Bengaluru tech founder says his US visa was rejected after question on salary)