Gurgaon: Haryana govt has tightened the rules for cab aggregators, making it compulsory for them to provide passengers an insurance cover of at least Rs 5 lakh — a significant financial safeguard in case of an accident or any untoward incident such as robbery during a ride.The decision was taken on Monday at a cabinet meeting on a wider overhaul of aggregator licence rules in the state. The policy also mandated a minimum health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh and term insurance of Rs 10 lakh for onboarded drivers. The same insurance protection will apply to delivery partners as well.While the state govt approved the rules with immediate effect, it is still not clear whether passengers will be charged for this cover or they will have the choice to opt out — as is common in flights and trains.A senior functionary at a leading cab aggregator said the company would first study the govt order before deciding on how the insurance would be built into operations. “We will go through the notification in detail and then decide the scheme of things,” the official added.For commuters, however, the move offered some reassurance. “At least there will now be some financial support if something goes wrong during a ride. That is a relief,” said a city resident who frequently uses app-based cabs in the absence of a robust public transport network.The new rules — approved under the Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993, in line with Union road transport ministry’s guidelines and directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management — apply to both aggregators providing passenger services as well as vehicles used by delivery service providers and e-commerce companies. Though the policy mentions “Jan 1, 2026” as the cutoff date, officials clarified that it would come into effect from Tuesday. The policy also does not clarify what will happen to vehicles that joined platforms between Jan and May.A major environmental condition has also been built into the policy.From now on, only vehicles running on clean fuel — CNG, electric, battery-operated or any other approved source — can be added to the fleets of cab and transport aggregators, delivery service providers and e-commerce companies in NCR. In the case of three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws, only CNG or electric vehicles will be allowed to join existing fleets.This means anyone wanting to join an e-delivery platform will have to use an electric bike. However, those already enrolled with such aggregators can continue.This effectively shuts the door on adding new petrol and diesel-run vehicles to such fleets in NCR. A senior govt official clarified that the restriction applies only to aggregators and delivery platforms, not to private vehicle buyers.Another official pointed out that most existing cab and auto fleets are already compliant in this regard. “Most cabs and autos in NCR are already running on CNG and electric. Only some two-wheelers are still on petrol. That transition is also underway,” the official said.The framework also makes licensing mandatory for aggregators and delivery service providers, and lays down onboarding norms for drivers and vehicles, passenger safety measures, grievance redressal systems, refresher training, cybersecurity compliance for apps and fare regulation.Vehicles under these platforms must also carry location tracking devices, panic buttons, first-aid kits and fire extinguishers. Aggregators will have to run 24×7 control rooms and call centres, digitally verify drivers and vehicles through the Vahan and Sarathi portals, and maintain detailed digital records. The licensing process will be handled through cleanmobility.haryanatransport.gov.in.
