Delhi Govt notifies app-based premium bus services

The Delhi government has notified the app-based Premium Bus services starting from June 1 which will enable people to book their seats in buses through their smartphone on the lines of app-based taxis services in the national capital.
Only air-conditioned buses will ply under the scheme according to which one bus aggregator will have to run at lease 50 vehicles to get a licence from Delhi government's Transport department.
A senior government official said, "Government has notified the app-based bus scheme to be rolled out from from June 1."
While announcing the scheme last month, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had said that bus aggregators will have an individual app like Ola, Uber and they will be allowed to decide their fares, but if need arises government will prescribe upper limit of fares or take steps to check predatory pricing.

Welcoming the government's move to introduce app-based Premium Bus Services, Ola said that it looks forward to working with the government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle, to citizens across the state.
"Ola welcomes the efforts of the Delhi Government for App-based Premium Bus Services. We look forward to working with the Government in extending a world class daily commute solution from Ola Shuttle, to citizens across the state.

"Ola Shuttle is Delhi NCR's most preferred daily commute offering, built with a deep understanding of the local market needs. We are confident that this will go a long way in solving key issues like congestion, pollution and parking that we are faced with today," Ola said in a statement.

The registration of app-based Premium buses will start from June 1. As per new policy, bus aggregators will determine the routes on which Premium buses will ply from time to time and specify such routes along with the time schedule of each trip on its web-based application.
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"After accepting the booking of a passenger, aggregators cannot cancel the service except upon occurrence of break-down and force majeure and in that case, companies will have to refund passenger no less than twice the amount they received from the affected passengers," another a senior government official said.
App users will be required to find buses going towards their destination and thereafter they can book their seat through their phone.

Five minutes before the departure, bus aggregators will have to freeze bookings and display a list of passengers. Drivers of the vehicle cannot allow other passengers in the way who have not booked their seats.