Startups to the rescue as Delhi clamps down on cars

The Indian capital is on the brink of a grand experiment. The landlocked megacity, often called the most polluted in the world, has around 9 million vehicles, many of which snake their way through its dense roads every day. Of this, around 3 million vehicles are privately owned. But from January 1, this number is set to be halved. How?

By letting odd numbered cars run on odd dates and even numbered cars run on even dates. The Delhi government’s directive is aimed at cutting down on air pollution after dense smog and rising cases of respiratory illness set the alarm bells ringing. The state’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, is himself known to suffer from chronic cough.

The decision has, however, unleashed a heated exchange among the 17 million residents of car-loving Delhi. Some say it’s a good beginning. Those against it say other factors are to blame for pollution and should be sorted out first.

But as the city willy-nilly hurtles down to the new year deadline, guess who is not complaining? Startups in the transportation sector, of course. Bus aggregators, cab operators, car pool, and rental startups are upping the ante. Yes, we are talking Ola, Shuttle, Uber, Meru, and the like.

Who is making hay

Ola

Ola has launched Ola Share, a social ride-sharing platform for Delhi-NCR. It will enable people traveling on the same route to commute together by introducing social groups on its app. Through it, colleagues from a workplace or friends from a college can share rides among themselves.

“We are excited to bring Ola Share to Delhi NCR at a time when the citizens and the government are taking a massive step to reduce on-road congestion,” Ishan Gupta, head of Ola Share, said in a statement.

It is offering a 50 percent discount on fares in the launch phase, that is, over the coming month. A user can join multiple groups or simply choose to share a ride with anyone.

Uber

And where there is Ola, can Uber be far behind? The company has just launched a carpooling service that will let Uber users share a ride with others passengers going the same way.

It will also allow private car owners to register on the Uber platform and give a ride to someone else for a fee while the company itself takes a commission on every ride.

Grumpy or happy: What the ‘Delhiwala’ is saying

Carrots and sticks