Ola introduce e-rickshaws on its platform

Firm partners with Bhartiya Micro Credit to finance 5,100 e-rickshaws for deployment across Delhi-NCR

App-based taxi hailing company Ola has introduced electric rickshaws on its platform, aimed at providing mobility to its users smaller towns and cities. The firm has partnered with Bhartiya Micro Credit (BMC) to finance the 5,100 planned e-rickshaws on its platform which will be deployed across the Delhi-NCR region.

Ola's e-rickshaw category will be launched in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 'Start-up India' event being held in Noida today. The initiative will look to provide thousands of rickshaw pullers with the necessary skills to earn stable incomes in small towns and tier 3 cities.

"The transportation needs of users in smaller towns and sustainable alternatives for cycle rickshaw peddlers will be solved for with the introduction of e-rickshaws on the Ola app, which are affordable, environment friendly and convenient to hail," said Pranay Jivrajka, Chief Operating Officer at Ola, in a statement.

Through its partnership with BMC, the company is looking at giving rickshaw pullers the chance of becoming entrepreneurs and reap benefits of the country's growing digital economy. Moreover, with congestion and pollution becoming a huge problem in many Indian cities, e-rickshaws provide a great solution for short trips.

The partners will also run skill development centres in small towns to provide rickshaw pullers with the training required to be part of Ola's platform.

"E-rickshaws are not only sustainable, but also a simple, yet very effective solution to an otherwise physically taxing pedal rickshaw riding. With Ola's technology and BMC's support, we are confident that many cycle rickshaw-pullers will grow into e-rickshaw driver-entrepreneurs," said Mahesh Sharma, minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation.