Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Rapido Pink Ride Controversy Follows Male Driver Assignment
Shalini Chaturvedi booked Rapido’s Pink ride because she expected a woman driver.
Instead, she said a man called to say he had been assigned the ride.
He told her he was gay when she questioned him.
Shalini cancelled the booking because she felt unsafe.
She said the app charged her Rs 15 even though the ride would have cost about Rs 25.
She also said the driver’s profile picture appeared to show a woman.
Rapido said Pink rides are meant to go to female captains and apologised.
The company said it investigated and later terminated the captain’s account.
The incident led people online to question safety checks, cancellation fees, and accountability.
Instagram creator Shalini Chaturvedi said a male captain was assigned to her Rapido Pink ride.
She said the captain identified himself as gay after she questioned the assignment.
Chaturvedi cancelled the ride and reported a Rs 15 fee on an approximately Rs 25 trip.
She alleged the captain used a female relative’s profile or photograph to access the service.
Rapido apologised, promised an investigation, and later shared proof that the captain’s account was terminated.
- Who
- Instagram creator Shalini Chaturvedi, Rapido, and a male captain assigned to the ride.
- What
- A male captain was reportedly assigned to a Rapido Pink ride intended for female captains, prompting safety and accountability concerns.
- When
- The articles do not specify when the incident occurred.
- Where
- The specific location was not stated.
- Why
- Chaturvedi said she chose the Pink service expecting a woman captain and felt unsafe after a male captain was assigned.
Safety and Accountability Concerns
Company Response and Resolution
Male captain assignment
Safety and Accountability Concerns
Chaturvedi said she selected Pink specifically to receive a woman captain and viewed the male assignment as a serious safety lapse.
Company Response and Resolution
Rapido said Pink rides are specifically meant to be assigned to female captains and said it would investigate how the assignment occurred.
Appropriate disciplinary action
Safety and Accountability Concerns
Chaturvedi said an initial warning was inadequate because she believed the captain had used a female relative’s profile or photograph.
Company Response and Resolution
Rapido later shared proof of termination, which Chaturvedi described as a satisfactory resolution.
Pricing and cancellation fee
Safety and Accountability Concerns
Chaturvedi questioned why she was charged Rs 15 after cancelling a ride that would have cost around Rs 25; other users also questioned Pink ride pricing.
Company Response and Resolution
Rapido said the cancellation fee should not have been applied in the circumstances described and agreed to review it.
- Service
- Rapido Pink rides are described by Rapido as intended for female captains.
- Complainant
- Instagram creator Shalini Chaturvedi
- Cancellation fee
- Rs 15, compared with an estimated ride cost of around Rs 25
- Social-media response
- Chaturvedi’s reel received more than 18,000 likes.
- Company response
- Rapido apologised and said it would investigate the assignment, the captain’s conduct, and the cancellation fee.
- Reported resolution
- Chaturvedi said Rapido shared proof that the captain’s account had been terminated.
- Broader concerns
- Users questioned safety checks, pricing, and accountability on ride-hailing platforms.