Connect India in talks with Flipkart, other e-commerce firms

Announcing the launch of their services across the country, e-commerce logistics firm Connect India today said it is in talks with e-tailers, including Flipkart, to enhance its delivery and distribution.
"We have done a pilot project with e-commerce giant Amazon in Punjab, but most of the top line and small e-commerce companies are interested to work with us. We are talking to all big players including Flipkart," company Founder L R Sridhar told reporters at the nation-wide launch of Connect India's services here.
However, the company needs to prepare a model and late the business would not be a challenge, Sridhar added.

Amazon India Transport Director Samuel Thomas said "We undertook a pilot with Connect India to create rural delivery outreach in Punjab... As part of the pilot we fulfilled 65 per cent of the orders on the vary first day in remote rural areas of Punjab and received cash on delivery within 24 hours,".
Sridhar said he aims at creating a robust pan India last mile delivery network, covering over 25000 pin codes connecting all the metro, million plus population cities, 8000 plus small towns and create outreach to 500,000 villages.
"This Business model aims at developing a hyper local neighbourhood convenience model of one square kilometer delivery areas for urban markets and last few mile access for rural markets," he added.

He said that in spite of financial products, mobility and internet being easily accessible in India, e-commerce delivery capabilities and access to e-comm platforms are available to a marginal 5,000-6,000 pin codes by private players, while Indian post provides access to over 19,000 pin codes.

"Connect India's robust platform will have the capacity to create hyperlocal distribution centers of 1x1 Sq Km and will connect rural India with urban India. This is where Connect India will be a game changer in the logistics sector."
On investments, he said the social impact venture capital firm Aavishkaar has invested Rs 32 crore in the company.

He said the company targets to appoint over 50,000 last mile delivery entrepreneurs as Connect India Centers (CICs), who in turn will provide employment to more than 200,000 delivery associates or 'Customer Connect Associates' from their local communities in the next three years.
The company will act as a platform to drive the 'Make in India' initiative and make significant difference to the livelihoods, he added.