Amid concerns, Bengaluru auto drivers’ own ride-hailing app goes live on November 1

Namma Yatri, the ride-hailing app put together by auto-rickshaw drivers, is officially launching on November 1 in what promises to be a David vs Goliath battle in Bengaluru’s mobility space.

The app was released on Google Play in early October and has seen more than 10,000 downloads in the testing phase.

Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU), which is behind Namma Yatri, hopes the app will beat mobility behemoths Uber and Ola at their own game.

A separate app for drivers has also seen more than 10,000 downloads.

Uber and Ola have been in the eye of a storm for fleecing auto-rickshaw passengers and short-changing drivers. The Transport Department says the ride-hailing firms do not have a licence to operate. The matter is currently before the High Court of Karnataka.

Namma Yatri wants to be the alternative everyone is looking for.

According to D Rudramurthy, general secretary, ARDU, Namma Yatri will not charge drivers or passengers anything for at least three months. Passengers will be charged a booking fee of Rs 10, which will be paid to the driver for driving to the pick-up point.

Drivers can also ask for up to Rs 30 over and above the meter fare provided the passenger is willing to pay. Multiple drivers can compete for customers, which means they can choose the one that suits them the most. Payments will be in cash and there will be no cancellation fees.

The app seems to be gaining acceptance. Rudramurthy claims that about 14,000 drivers and about 20,000 passengers have come onboard. Daily bookings are in the range of 500-1,000. “We do not ride aggregators,” Rudramurthy said. “We are just a union of auto drivers who have come together to give everyone a better deal. Nobody should feel cheated — neither drivers nor passengers.”

Payment gateway

The ARDU has been helped by payment gateway Juspay Technologies Pvt Ltd in developing the app on the Beckn protocol under the union government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

After three months, Namma Yatri could charge drivers Rs 30-40 a day to cover the operating costs, Rudramurthy said.

The ARDU expects teething trouble in the first few months. Will Namma Yatri be just as safe and reliable as Uber or Ola? What about customer care? What if something goes wrong? Who will be held accountable?

Rudramurthy said they had set up a customer care, staffed by about 15 to 20 people, to attend to commuters’ grievances. There is an emergency SOS feature, connected directly to the police control and to customer support.

Rudramurthy acknowledged that Namma Yatri, much like Uber and Ola, doesn’t have a licence from the transport department. “Transport authorities refused to give us a licence, explaining that there’s no provision for it. However, they said we could operate. If something goes wrong, they will catch us,” he said.

An uphill battle

A source in another auto drivers’ union wished the app success but said it faced an uphill battle in the long run. “It shouldn’t shut down after a few months. It would have been better if the state government had developed such an app. That would have given it a headstart,” the source explained.