BENGALURU: Former chief minister and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy hopes to rev up his political fortunes ahead of Assembly polls with the launch of his party-backed app-based cab service, Namma Tygr, in the second week of November.
Competing with biggies like Ola and Uber, Tygr is targeting an ambitious operation of 10,000 vehicles on the city roads. Namma Tygr claims to help drivers with a slew of beneficiary schemes as well as benefit customers with a fixed slab that is surge free.
Already, more than 6,000 drivers have registered with this new technology based cab aggregator, according to Tanveer Pasha, MD, Huli Technologies Pvt Ltd, which is operating Namma Tygr.
At the company’s Indiranagar headquarters, training is under way and drivers in groups of 15-20 are being familiarised in app installation, downloading, service operations, etc.
Chandra Kumar, company spokesperson, told Express, “We hope to see 10,000 vehicles running operations initially. Presently, that is our capacity. Queries are pouring in as our service will benefit drivers who hail from Karnataka’s hinterland.”
Apart from the Rs 5 lakh insurance cover, Rs 5 lakh accidental insurance cover, Rs 2 lakh medical insurance cover, there are other schemes for drivers that are still in the discussion stage. These include providing leased vehicles and housing sites to drivers, and 10 emergency patrol vehicles that will run 24X7 for the safety of both drivers and customers across the city.
‘Tygr? Why not Kanasina Kumaranna?’
But the name Namma Tygr has not found much resonance with Kumaraswamy’s father and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda. Speaking to Express, Gowda said he would advise them to change it either to Kanasina Kumaranna, Kalpane Kumaranna or something “appropriate”.