Uber takes UberSAFE campaign forward, partners with Kolkata Police

With this initiative, Uber partners with the law enforcement agency to complement the existing safety features on the Uber App.

The Bondhu app allows users to connect directly to the Kolkata Police's control room in case of any emergency

In its first such partnership with a technology firm, Kolkata Police has chosen Uber, validating the company’s commitment towards safety. With this partnership, Bondhu will now be accessible to all riders and driver partners in Kolkata in one go. Since its launch in June 22, 2017, around 40,000 people have downloaded the Bondhu app. Uber aims to act as a force multiplier and expand its access to all of Uber’s riders.

“We take the safety of our riders and drivers very seriously and is high priority at Uber. We are thrilled to be associated with the Kolkata Police in this critical mission. The integration of the Bondhu App is a big step towards further strengthening the safety net available to our riders and drivers,” said Arpit Mundra, General Manager, Kolkata. “We applaud the efforts taken by the Kolkata Police in adopting technology to provide easy access to law enforcement to the citizens of Kolkata.

The first phase of this partnership will see Uber developing a permanent in-app access for the Bondhu app, including a link to download it from the app store. The second phase will allow users to directly access the Bondhu app from within the Uber app. The third and final phase will involve an API Integration between both the apps.

Vineet Kumar Goyal, Additional Commissioner of Police (I), Kolkata Police, said, “ Bondhu app has been an integral technological innovation in providing instant help to our citizens in distress across the city. We have now streamlined the process of providing safety via Bondhu app which makes it easier for our citizens rather than key in the control room number. We welcome this approach of Uber for integrating Bondhu App with Uber App to improve reach so that more people across the city, who are in need of immediate aid during any kind of distress can use this app. We are glad that Uber has taken such a major step in safeguarding the security of all citizens of the city.  We look forward towards making this initiatives go a long way.”

Moving people from point A to B, is a huge responsibility. We, at Uber, believe that technology provides an incredible opportunity to improve road safety in new and innovative ways before, during and after every ride.

Before the ride begins, a rider can double-check the license plate, driver name and photo shown in the app. Riders are able to see a driver's rating to determine if they wish to proceed with a journey. Drivers are also periodically required to take a selfie before going online to drive with Uber to make sure the driver on the account matches the driver behind the wheel. If the face doesn’t match, we block the driver from accepting rides.

During the trip, a rider can share trip details with friends and family, including estimated time of arrival and the specific route taken. The Uber rider app also features an Emergency button that can be used in the rare case of emergency while on an Uber ride to connect with the local police. Our incident response teams also gets notified instantly, and connects with the rider.

After the ride ends, two-way feedback is another way for us to pre-empt and resolve potential issues.