Autorickshaw aggregator Namma Yatri will begin offering cab services in Bengaluru starting April 16, according to officials.
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The Namma Yatri app is a product of Bengaluru’s Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU). Built by Juspay Technologies and backed by the Beckn Foundation (by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani), it was launched in November 2022 in partnership with the city’s auto drivers. However, the company recently separated its mobility business into a new entity called ‘Moving Tech Innovations Limited.
According to Namma Yatri, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy will launch the ‘Driver First Cabs in Bengaluru’. Namma Yatri is currently open source and does not take any commission from drivers and is also available in Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). ONDC is a technology platform backed by the Union government to facilitate direct seller-to-customer transactions, cutting out middlemen.
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Sources indicate that cab fares will adhere to the ‘zero-commission’ model used for pricing autorickshaw rides on Namma Yatri, which distinguished the app from other ride aggregators. The app in Bengaluru will offer two types of taxis: eco, which are non-air-conditioned, and comfy, which are air-conditioned.
While Namma Yatri initially launched auto services in collaboration with the union, the company is now individually reaching out to register drivers for its cab services, according to sources. Its entry into cab services, which are dominated by Ola and Uber, is likely to be a relief for drivers, who are upset over declining incentives and earnings.
T.M. Rudramurthy, general secretary of ARDU in Bengaluru, said: “Adding cabs to the Namma Yatri app will benefit thousands of cab drivers who have been facing various issues with the existing cab aggregator apps in the city. This will also be advantageous for commuters.”
In December 2023, the auto union split from Namma Yatri owing to disagreements with the Juspay-operated app over pricing and promotions. However, a few months later, the auto union and Namma Yatri resolved their issues and are now working together again.
Namma Yatri initially launched as the Yatri app in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Tumakuru, and Kochi. This year, it launched in Kolkata as Yatri Saathi, and the firm has recently expanded to Chennai. In Hyderabad, the service launched as Mana Yatri, has been offering both autorickshaw and cab services.