Competition is heating up between the two main travel aggregators in the city as they expand their services to the farthest outskirts.
Commuters who have been using the apps of these companies used to complain about the lack of options when it came to long-distance travel or even trips to the outlying areas of the city.
Their demands seem to have been finally met with both Uber and Ola extending their services.
A spokesperson of Uber, confirming the expansion of the app-based taxi service along the GST Road, said the area covered by the aggregator has been extended from Perungalathur to Mahindra World City. The newly expanded service would cover areas including Vandalur, Guduvanchery and Kelambakkam, benefitting thousands of people who take that route to work and back, the spokesperson added.
Extension of services beyond Perungalathur is necessitated by the population growth along the GST belt accompanied by the mushrooming of universities, automobile manufacturing units, tech parks and a variety of independently owned local businesses.
The expansion by Uber, which was launched two years ago, would cater to the ever-growing demand for efficient and safe transportation, the spokesperson said.
While Uber is expanding its transport network within the city, Ola Cabs, having made a mark in the local taxi market, is set to give stiff competition to long-distance tourist operators with its newly launched outstation taxi services from the city.
A spokesperson of Ola said the soft launch of the outstation service was done recently with a competitive pricing model.
The outstation service is already up and running on the app and has a base price ranging from Rs. 2,250-Rs. 3,000 for 250 km. The service offers trips in air-conditioned sedans and sports utility vehicles.
Charging a uniform night time rate of Rs. 250, the price per kilometre for different cars is Rs. 9, Rs. 11 and Rs. 13. The outstation service is just an extension of the taxi service in the city, he added.
With commuters continuing to struggle with regard to last mile connectivity, the expansion of cab services is likely to be a reason for celebration for many.
