Uber offers to run bike-taxis during odd-even scheme

US-based ride hailing platform Uber has made a submission to the Delhi government offering use of 5,000 bike-taxis to improve first and last mile connectivity during the odd-even scheme to be implemented next month, according to sources.

Currently, regulations do not allow bike-taxis to operate in Delhi.

According to sources, Uber has made the submission to the Delhi government proposing to deploy 5,000 bike-taxis to help ferry one lakh commuters to and from Metro stations every week.

The service is proposed to be offered for a fee of Rs 5 per ride, they added.

The company, which competes with Bengaluru-based Ola, has also proposed to re-deploy 2,500 bikes from its food delivery network (UberEats) to work as bike-taxis during the odd-even scheme that will be implemented from November 4-15.

Uber did not respond to e-mailed queries on the matter.

A Delhi government official said a proposal was received from the cab aggregator but no decision has been taken on it as yet.

One of the persons aware of the development said bike-sharing provides a huge opportunity to unlock the potential of shared mobility through optimal utilisation of existing vehicles on the road.

The person said Uber, in its submission, has cited data that one out of two UberMOTO trips in Gurugram began or ended at a Metro station, while one in four such trips in Noida began or ended near a Metro station.

The odd-even scheme has been proposed as part of a slew of measures to combat high level of air pollution in Delhi caused due to stubble burning in neighbouring states during winters.

During the 12-day scheme, vehicles will ply alternately on odd and even dates as per their registration numbers. In the previous two experiments in January and April in 2016, a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on violators of the rule. In the past, two-wheelers and female commuters were exempted from the rule.