Namma Yatri, the open-source auto booking app similar to Ola or Uber, has now come to Chennai after a successful run in Kochi and Bengaluru. The app, unlike other similar such ones, does not charge a commission to drivers which will make rides cheaper. Namma Yatri is a part of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
According to The Hindu, the Namma Yatri already has 50 lakh downloads in Bengaluru and for now, 10,000 drivers have been added on the app in Chennai. For the time being rides are available only in some areas near Valluvar Kottam, Birla Planetarium, Tidel Park, Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital, Arignar Anna Zoological Park the Lighthouse and others, but over a lakh drivers are to be added in the next six months, The Hindu also reports.
TOI reports that though no commission is taken for the drivers, a membership fee of Rs 25 per day is charged at the end of the first trip. Alternatively, drivers can choose to pay the fee in installments of Rs 3.5 per ride. TOI also says that drivers can claim upto 10% above the estimated fare. However, fares will be governed by the government mandated rate of a Rs25 base fare + Rs 12 for every additional kilometre.