Ola kicks off auto service in Thane

Thane on Thursday became the first city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to get an app-based auto rickshaw service, with Ola kicking off its OlaAuto service

Thane on Thursday became the first city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to get an app-based auto rickshaw service, with the aggregator Ola kicking off its OlaAuto service.

250 autos are currently part of the fleet, and Ola has said this will increase to 1,000 in the next few days. So far, only one union has joined the service. (Praful Gangurde)

While there were protests from other auto unions, which threatened to vandalise Ola autos if they operated in the city, Ola is trying to get drivers to join the fleet, assuring a 30% rise in revenue and health insurance.

Currently, 250 autos are part of the fleet, and Ola has said this will increase to 1,000 in the next few days. So far, only one union has joined the service.

Several other unions were found protesting — Ekta Rickshaw Taxi Malak Chalak Sena protested outside the launch venue against what they called privatisation of auto services.

“We were not taken into confidence while launching the application. Only one union was informed about the launch, and they have backstabbed us by agreeing to privatisation. We will not allow these app-based autos to run in the city. We will vandalise them,” said Vinayak Surve, the union’s president.

The service operators, however, said they will make efforts to get all unions on board. “A few auto drivers are feeling threatened by the service, but it seems we have failed to reach out to them. We have to make them understand the service is beneficial for both the auto drivers and commuters and no one will be loosing business,” said Joy Bandekar, corporate president, New Initiatives, Ola.