Ola earmarks Rs 500 crore to enhance safety, hygiene

Ride-hailing app Ola has committed Rs 500 crore over the next year for various initiatives to enhance safety and hygiene inside cabs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The initiatives include driver training, prevention and sanitization protocols, a host of technology advancements like a newly designed Covid-19 ready app, hygiene and safety benchmark for vehicles, the cab aggregator said.

The Bengaluru-based firm has also set up a network of over 500 fumigation centres across the country at various hotspots and airports, for mandatory disinfection of all vehicles every 48 hours. This is apart from routine wipe downs and sanitization of high touch surfaces by drivers after each ride.

Driver safety itself will continue to be a focus with the introduction of dedicated training modules and certification, as well as strict adherence to daily temperature checks and wearing of masks through the selfie authentication mechanism, the company said.

“Mobility is at the core of economic and social progress and the country at this time needs substantive action and sustained innovation to be able to revive from the effects of the pandemic,” Ola spokesperson Anand Subramanian said in a statement.

The mobility business across the world has been one of the worst-hit with the spread of the outbreak leading to drop in revenues of more than 90% for all players. Ola’s revenue has been down 95% in the last two months. A month before the pandemic became widespread, Ola was close to breaking even at a company level.

For its core mobility business, Ola has introduced new guidelines for consumers, including compulsory masks, switching off AC to avoid re-circulation of air, and cashless payments. The company also plans to expand its self-drive business to introduce subscriptions.

In Australia, Ola launched its Pro service, a premium offering which stresses on hygiene in cars. ET reported last month that the company plans to launch a similar service in India.