Ola cabs launches an app to find autorickshaws that go by meter

NEW DELHI: Even as the transport department is trying to bring the aggregator model of taxi services under its ambit, Ola cabs launched an autorickshaw service in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday.

The service will allow customers to hire autorickshaws by the meter by paying a convenience charge of Rs 10 to the app-based taxi service.

Interestingly, the autorickshaw module of the Ola cab app works much like the transport department's Pooch-O. However, unlike the free DIMTS app, Ola charges customers Rs 10 convenience fee for "information" on nearby autorickshaws. In the Ola app, based on the GPS location of autorickshaws registered with the service provider, details of the auto are sent to the customer along with an estimated time of arrival.

The service is available directly using the Ola app. Customers will have to pay the autorickshaw driver directly and will not be able to use Ola money. The payment will include meter fare plus the Rs 10 convenience fee. All autorickshaw drivers will have smartphones to accurately track bookings.

The company, along with other app-based taxi services such as Uber, has been facing regulatory issues in the city. Earlier this month, Delhi high court asked the transport department to hear a representation by the company before it bans its service. In response, the transport department on Monday came out with a modified radio taxi scheme. However, most of the aggregator-based taxi services claimed the modified scheme doesn't apply to them as they are not radio taxi providers.