Ola to install breath analysers in partnership with Govt. of Karnataka to create safer roads; campaign against drunken driving

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Kickstarting today, the campaign also has partners like the Bangalore Traffic Police and Institute of Public Health onboard

Ola to set-up designated counters at popular pubs in Bengaluru; on-ground volunteers to help patrons book an Ola cab
Ola to target more than 1000 pubs, resto bars and pubs outlets across Karnataka

Bengaluru, November 17, 2016: As part of its continued effort to create safer roads with reliable mobility, Ola, India’s most popular mobile app for transportation, has partnered with the Government of Karnataka for a full blown campaign aimed at reducing drunken driving in the city. This initiative was inaugurated today by Shri U.T. Khader, Hon’ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Karnataka at Church Street Social, one of the renowned pubs in the city. Mr. Raghuvesh Sarup, CMO and Head of Categories, Ola, Dr. B. Basavaraju, Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Government of Karnataka, Dr. Vishal Rao, Oncologist, HCG Hospitals and member of Cancer Control committee, Govt. of Karnataka, Prof. Dr. Ashok R. Patil, Professor of Law & Chair Professor (Consumer Law and Protection), NLSIU, Mr. Dilip Patro, Director & Founder Secretary, The Ability People, Vishakhapatnam were present at the inaugural event.

The campaign under the name RISK (Road Safety Initiative for Safer Karnataka) is a joint initiative by a group of organizations including Department of Consumer Affairs, Transport Ministry and Institute of Public Health, supported by Ola. Under the initiative, alcohol consumption testing kiosks will be placed in all prominent pubs in the city. Additionally, to discourage people from drunken driving, in the coming months, Ola plans to target more than 1000 pubs/bars all across state of Karnataka to facilitate cab bookings for patrons from the designated kiosks.

Speaking at the inauguration, Shri U.T. Khader, Hon’ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Karnataka said “Over the past few years, driving under influence of alcohol has become a major issue in Karnataka and it is extremely critical that we channelise all our efforts to bring these instances down to zero. This will only happen when there is awareness and sensitisation created for citizens about the alternatives available for them to avoid driving under influence. We welcome Ola’s efforts to be part of this campaign and we are confident that it will play a significant role in creating awareness and reducing instances of drunken driving in the state.”

Through this campaign, Ola is aiming to create a safe and seamless on-road experience for the citizens in the state. After completing its pilot in the city of Bengaluru in the coming months, the initiative will be rolled out across various parts of Karnataka.

Raghuvesh Sarup, CMO and Head of categories at Ola said “At Ola, we are focused on our mission of building mobility for a billion Indians. An integral part of this mission is to build a safe and reliable experience for citizens. Through this unique campaign, we are encouraging people to take safe rides back home post alcohol consumption and do their bit to make our roads and cities safer. We are honoured to partner with the State Government in this initiative and will continue to extend our efforts to create a safer mobility ecosystem for everyone.”

While Ola is constantly working towards strengthening the transportation ecosystem in the city through its smart and sustainable commuting solutions; initiatives like these fall in line with company’s endeavour to serve the city in a holistic manner. Ola has been spearheading several campaigns for safe rides and safer roads across the country. Recently in Delhi, Ola partnered with Hauz Khas Village Association to encourage patrons and visitors of leading pubs and bars in Hauz Khas Village to take a safe and specially discounted Ola cab ride after partying with friends. Additionally, on last New Year’s Eve, Ola deployed more than 500 shuttles to ferry over 10,000 people to their homes from popular hot-spots around Delhi NCR.

About Ola:

Founded in Jan 2011 by IIT Bombay alumni Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Ola (formerly Olacabs), is India’s most popular mobile app for personal transportation. Ola integrates city transportation for customers and driver partners onto a mobile technology platform ensuring convenient, transparent and quick service fulfilment. Ola is committed to its mission of building mobility for a billion people. Using the Ola mobile app, users across 102 cities can book from over 4,50,000 vehicles across cabs, auto-rickshaws and taxis. Ola has also introduced a range of shared mobility services on its platform like Ola Shuttle and Ola Share for commute and ride-sharing respectively. The app is available on Windows, Android and iOS platforms.

For media queries: Vatsala Hali | media@olacabs.com | +918861629562