Nearly an year on, Karnataka government’s ride-hailing app still in the works

Technical challenges hold back Karnataka’s initiative to launch government-owned ride-hailing app, necessitated following dissatisfaction expressed by drivers around hefty commissions levied by Ola and Uber

It has been almost a year since the Karnataka government announced plans to launch its own ride-hailing app, similar to Ola and Uber. However, the much-anticipated app is yet to see the light of day.

The initiative began in August 2023, following a surge in grievances voiced by taxi and auto drivers against private ride-hailing platforms. Drivers expressed their dissatisfaction with the hefty commissions levied by companies like Ola and Uber, which significantly cut into their earnings.

Transport Department officials have acknowledged the delays in developing this platform. “We faced a few technical challenges and the app will be launched once these are sorted out,” an official said, without providing further details on the specific nature of these challenges.

The dissatisfaction among cab and auto drivers with private ride-hailing apps has been a driving force behind the government’s decision. Unions representing these drivers have consistently alleged that the commission levied by private aggregators for each trip is exorbitant, severely impacting their earnings.

M. Manjunath, president of the Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union, emphasised the urgency of the situation. “We have no information on when the government will start the app. However, a few new auto and cab aggregator apps in the market now are non-commission based. If the government starts its own app, it would benefit us greatly and ensure transparency,” he said.

The Transport Department had tasked the e-Governance Department with the development of the mobile application, setting a six-month deadline for its launch. As part of their preparatory efforts, Transport Department officials planned a visit to Kerala to study the government-operated Kerala Savari app model. Launched in 2022, Kerala Savari is the country’s first online taxi service owned by a State Government.

Additionally, the Goa government has also launched a mobile application serving as a common platform for the entire taxi industry in the State.