Ola commits Rs 500 cr to enable safe mobility for citizens, driver-partners

Ride-hailing firm Ola said it has committed a sum of Rs 500 crore over the next year towards various initiatives globally, to enhance safety in mobility in its fight against Covid-19. Ola has resumed operations across the country and is now available in over 200 cities with enhanced safety protocols. Unveiling its new initiative ‘Ride Safe India’, Ola said it is reaffirming its long-term focus to providing driver-partners and citizens, a safe and reliable mobility experience, as India continues its fight against the pandemic, post the lockdown.

“We have already pioneered a series of initiatives including regular driver wellness checks, vehicle fumigation protocols and mask-detection technology amongst others to raise the bar of safety for consumers and driver-partners,” said Ola spokesperson Anand Subramanian. “We are taking this further by building a robust network of (over) 500 fumigation centres across the country. Our commitment of Rs 500 crore towards various safety initiatives globally in the time to come, will help pave the way for new standards of mobility in the post-Covid-19 world,” he said.

The firm said Ride Safe India focuses on the highest standards of cleanliness with prevention and sanitisation protocols. This will cover all modes of Ola’s offerings, be it 4-wheelers, 3-wheelers and 2-wheelers. As a large number of major cities saw operations resuming on the Ola app in the last week, Ola has set up a network of over 500 fumigation centres across the country at various hotspots and airports. This would enable mandatory fumigation for all vehicles every 48 hours. This will be over and above the routine wipe downs and sanitisation of high touch surfaces of vehicles by drivers after every ride.

Driver safety will continue to be a focus for the company with the introduction of dedicated training modules and certification. This will also include strict adherence to daily temperature checks and wearing of masks through the selfie authentication mechanism. From monitoring wellness of drivers to integration with the Covid-19 tracker app Arogya Setu app, technology innovations will help shape the new norm in the mobility industry, said the company. Ola has also introduced 5 layers of safety that include strictly adhering to steps that ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene for every ride.