CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail commuters can now zoom away on electric bikes at the Thirumangalam, Vadapalani and Alandur Metro stations. This comes after Chennai Metro Rail in association with Howdy Hire Bikes, a two-wheeler rental startup, launched a fleet of electric bikes at the three stations.
Howdy electric two-wheelers can be utilised by passengers using their "Howdy Hire Bikes" mobile app to select their pick-up and drop hubs. Once this is done, passengers can scan the QR code of the bike to lock/unlock/start/pause ride from the app itself. Once the ride is completed, the passenger can drop it at any hub close to their destination, a Chennai Metro Rail release said.
Hubs are available at a distance of every 500 metres in the city. The charges are Rs 3 per km and 10 paise per minute. The first ride is absolutely free with a 50 percent discount on the next five rides.
These bikes are provided with a double layer protection for the safety of passengers. This includes coating with a certified "anti-microbial" solution that provides protection against a droplet based virus. Similarly, bikes and helmets are sanitized after each and every ride.
Based on the response from the public, this facility will be made available at more Chennai Metro stations, the release added.