Bengaluru: Brakes on electric cars operated by ex-servicemen at Metro stations
BENGALURU: An interesting option to provide last-mile connectivity to Metro commuters in an environment-friendly manner has ground to a halt. Internal issues within the firm are allegedly the reason for the departure of the electric taxi service from the mobility scene.
'Sainikpod sit and go’ service was India’s first electric car service operated exclusively by ex-servicemen.
A senior Metro official told The New Indian Express, "The services of `Sainikpod' have stopped operations from the only three Metro stations it was operational - Banashankari, Mysuru Road and Indira Nagar."
“These electric cars were running at our stations for nearly a year. However, for more than a month now, these white cabs cannot be spotted anywhere. We have not received any formal communication from the operators too. But we learnt that due to some internal problems, their operations have stopped,” he said.
Launched by Motherpod Innovations Pvt Ltd, it had a fleet of electric nanos that could be booked without an app. One needs to wave down the taxis (which stood out due to a green top on the roof) and give a missed call to the number provided in the vehicle to start a ride.
Another Metro official said, “Sainikpod operated, maybe, three or four cabs at each station. They were not carrying huge numbers but in a small way they provided last-mile connectivity to a section of commuters. Their rates were quite reasonable with Rs 15 charged per km,” he said. This service was billed as a safer and pollution-free ride for customers, the official added.
The withdrawal by one of the service providers is a blow to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, which is constantly working on boosting first and last-mile connectivity at its stations.
Repeated calls by this reporter over a week to reach out to representatives of Sainikpod went unanswered.