Uber, Aaveg Get Nod To Ply Buses Under Delhi Government's Premium Scheme

Ride hailing platforms Uber and Aaveg have reportedly got a licence from the Delhi transport department to operate 'premium bus service' in the city.

According to a Times of India report, while Uber would start the services soon, Aaveg would begin operations after the Lok Sabha elections.

Since its entry into India in 2013, California-based Uber has clocked 3 billion trips and deployed 900,000 driver-partners so far and has also achieved its first annual profit in the country.

Uber has been running a shuttle service in Kolkata since 2023 as per a memorandum of understanding signed with West Bengal government and has been running a pilot in Delhi since 2023.

Meanwhile, Aaveg operates as an app-based shuttle service in Delhi, Gurugram, and Noida.

In October 2023, the Delhi government had approved a premium bus service scheme aimed at encouraging the switch from private vehicles to shared transportation for commute within the city.

The existing public transit options, such as the bus services by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Delhi Metro, are experiencing severe overcrowding, prompting more individuals to resort to private cars, exacerbating air pollution concerns.

Under this scheme, private operators have been allowed to operate air-conditioned luxury public service vehicles having seating capacity of not less than nine passengers, along with various facilities such as Wi-Fi, GPS, CCTV, panic button, and 2 2 reclining seats.

Operators are required to maintain a fleet of at least 25 premium buses, to be made operational within 90 days of licence issuance.

Commuters will have the convenience of pre-booking seats up to a week in advance, tracking the live location and route of the bus, and know its expected time of arrival.

The government notification mandates that only pre-booked digital ticketing will be allowed, with fares collected exclusively through electronic or digital modes.