Ola signs MoU with Assam Transportation Dept. to pilot River Taxi Service in Guwahati
February 4th, 2018, Guwahati: Government of Assam and Ola, one of the world’s largest and India’s leading ride-sharing companies, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pilot an app-based river taxi service in the state’s capital city; Guwahati. The MoU has been signed in the presence of Sri Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Transport, Parliamentary Affairs, Industry and Commerce and Mr. Vijay Ghadge, VP of Operations of Ola at the on-going ‘Global Investors Summit: Advantage Assam’ at Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, Assam.
Ola launched in the state of Assam in December 2014 and has since transformed the commuting experience of citizens with a range of offerings for day to day as well as long distance, inter-city and state commute. Bringing water taxis on the online platform, a localised and key mode of commute in the capital city will further strengthen the transportation ecosystem. App-based bookings will streamline demand, and enable advance bookings and cashless payments, ensuring a convenient commuting experience as well as given an impetus the local transportation infrastructure and economy.
Sri Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Transport, Parliamentary Affairs, Industry, and Commerce said, “Assam has a very unique transportation landscape where water transport plays an important role in cities such as Guwahati. Ola has played a key role in streamlining road transport over the last few years in the state. This time around, we are thrilled to extend the partnership with Ola to pilot app-based water taxis in the capital city. We are certain that bringing a localised mode of commute on an app platform will enable convenient transportation for citizens and tourists alike, and we look forward to more such collaborations with Ola.”
Mr. Vijay Ghadge, VP of Operations at Ola, said, “Convenience and safety of the commuters are paramount to us. Our aim is to stand out as a reliable choice of transportation for the country. Our intent is reflected in all our partnerships with various state governments across transportation and tourism. As a part of this endeavour, we are delighted to partner and work with the Government of Assam to enhance and empower the local transportation infrastructure. We laud the Government’s efforts in providing opportunities to companies such as ours and are honoured to be a part of this initiative.”
The river taxis will be a machine-operated boat, which is faster and safer than the conventional ones. Ola will pilot high-speed taxis on the Lachit Ghat, Machkhowa to North Guwahati route, bringing the commute time down 2-5 minutes from 45 minutes by road. The fast pace of these boats-cum-taxis will not only reduce the travel time, but will also provide a more comfortable journey for its commuters.
About Ola:
Founded in 2011 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Ola is one of the world’s largest ride-sharing companies. Ola integrates city transportation for customers and driver-partners onto a mobile technology platform ensuring convenient, transparent, and quick service fulfilment. Ola is focused on leveraging the best of technology and building innovative solutions ground-up, that are relevant at global scale. Notably, in 2016, Ola Play the world’s first connected car platform for ride-sharing was launched, transforming commuting experiences and setting the tone for global innovation in this space. Beyond offering a highly personal experience for users during their rides, Ola Play also allows its partners like Microsoft, Apple Music, Sony Liv amongst others, to build a high quality interactive and productive experience for its users. Using the Ola mobile app, users across 110+ cities, can connect with over 1,000,000 driver-partners across cabs, auto-rickshaws, and taxis. Driven by a hyperlocal approach, Ola is committed to its mission of building mobility for a billion people.
For additional details, please contact:
Ushma Jhaveri | media@olacabs.com