As Indians sought more comfort in public transport backed by digital services, Ola and Uber zoomed in to compete with local taxis and auto rickshaws. But with the Open Network for Digital Commerce aimed at ending the hegemony of corporations in e-commerce and mobility among others, now local cabs driver can indepently accept online bookings.
Amidst these winds of change, the Delhi government has notified a scheme for premium bus aggregation services.
What's in store?
The aggregator will have premium private buses, which will offer online booking of seats at deregulated prices, and the routes can also change as per market demand.
Under this scheme, Delhi government will also make sure that the buses inducted into the public transport fleet will be 100 per cent electric from January 1, 2024, and no more CNG vehicles will be brought in.
Premium services will include Wifi, GPS, air conditioning, reclining seats and also a panic button for safety.
Win win proposition for passengers and operators
Bookings will be entirely online, and can be made 10 minutes before boarding a bus under the scheme, which will also provide Rs 10 lakh accidental coverage under an insurance policy.
Bus operators can also prescribe suitable fare structures for each route, but need to have a fleet of 50 premium buses ready to be deployed three months after they get a license.
The announcement comes at a time when global bus service provider Flix is gearing up to make its debut on Indian roads.
