The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with e-bike sharing startup Yulu to provide last mile connectivity to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) from Bandra and Kurla railway stations.
“MMRDA is playing the role of facilitator and there is no financial commitment. It is to promote non-motorised green transport,” R.A. Rajeev, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and PWD Minister Eknath Shinde. The e-bike operator will provide 500 e-bikes at 25 different locations in BKC and at Bandra (East) and Kurla (West) stations, where commuters will be able to avail this facility 24x7.
To use the service, commuters will need to download the Yulu app. They will have to pay ₹10 to unlock the bike through the app, and subsequently pay ₹10 for 10 minutes of use. The top speed of the bikes has been capped at 25 km per hour. The bikes are powered by interchangeable batteries, and hence would not need to be recharged at the docking station.
Yulu has been in operation in Navi Mumbai in partnership with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation for over a year. Hemant Gupta, co-founder and chief of operations at the startup, said they have identified zones in BKC and are aiming to roll out the services in 10 days. “We will start with 20 to 50 bikes and gradually increase the number based on the demand,” he said.
MMRDA officials said the locations within BKC are being reviewed and will be finalised in the coming week.
Mr. Rajeev said the MoU doesn’t mean that Yulu has exclusive rights, and other similar initiatives will also be encouraged in future. The MoU is for three years and will be reviewed annually. The initiative is an outcome of the Station Access and Mobility Program (STAMP) challenge, which the MMRDA conducted along with the World Resources Institute.
