Delhi’s reputation for women’s safety has once again come under the spotlight after a Mumbai woman shared two alarming taxi ride experiences in the capital on social media — incidents she described as nothing short of a nightmare for any woman traveler.
Ruchika Lohia, a resident of Mumbai, posted a video on Instagram recounting the troubling encounters, both of which took place with drivers from different ride-hailing platforms during her recent trip to Delhi. In the video, she labeled the city as “one of the most unsafe places to visit.”
First Incident — Dispute Over Air Conditioning at Airport
Ruchika said her first unsettling experience occurred at Delhi Airport, where she had booked a Rapido cab. Upon requesting the driver to switch on the air conditioner, she was met with refusal. “It will be turned on only if I decide,” the driver allegedly told her, suggesting she book another cab if she wanted AC. Ruchika approached Rapido’s help desk at the airport but eventually decided to cancel the ride and book an Uber to Noida instead.
Second Incident — Being Secretly Recorded in an Uber
The second episode, according to Ruchika, was even more disturbing. During the long drive from the airport to Noida, she dozed off for a short while. When she woke up, she claims she was shocked to see the Uber driver recording her on his phone. Initially thinking he might just be scrolling through her Instagram content, she quickly realized he was actually filming her.
Alarmed, she immediately called her sister and shared the cab details. Her sister advised her to exit the vehicle immediately. Using the excuse of handing over luggage to a friend, Ruchika grabbed her suitcase, stepped out at a crowded location, and later booked another cab to complete her journey to Noida.
View this post on Instagram
Her Instagram video, posted under the handle @__chikka, has since gone viral, amassing over 4 million views. Calling the incidents among “the scariest moments” of her life, she wrote in her caption: “One of the most unsafe places to visit. Don’t know when things will improve, but for now, they’re only getting worse.”
Company Responses
Both Rapido and Uber issued statements in response to her post. Rapido apologized, stating, “We are sorry for the inconvenience you faced during your trip. This is not the kind of service we aim to provide. Please share your mobile number and ride ID via DM so we can assist you further.”
Uber also responded, saying, “Ruchika, we are deeply concerned to hear this. Uber takes rider safety seriously, and we want to investigate the matter. Please share your Uber account details and trip information via DM so we can look into it.”