New Delhi: Taxi aggregator Uber has launched auto rides in Delhi, making it the only city where the company will accept cash payments.
Starting Thursday, Uber users in the capital were given the access to book an auto using their Uber mobile app and can pay regular fare in cash without additional commissions.
Rival Ola charges a commission on auto bookings.
The launch of the new service comes as Uber seems set to emerge from its troubles in Delhi, with the transport ministry likely to decide that there no case to ban taxi aggregators.
“Autos is a product that is already commonly used by Indians across the market, there’s no reason for us not to provide that option and not make it more convenient,” said Gagan Bhatia, general manager of Uber in Delhi.
“There are people who only want a cash-based product, and there is no reason to keep them out of the Uber experience.”
For cab bookings, Uber passengers will continue to pay electronically.
UberAUTO will only be available in Delhi for now and is priced as per fare rules set by Delhi authorities, the company said in a statement. Users can rate the auto drivers on the Uber mobile app, as they do for taxis.
“We’re taking an existing product used by the masses but making it better by adding Uber quality checks on top of it,” Bhatia said.
Currently, there are no policies governing auto aggregators such as mGaadi and Autowale, but the Delhi government is planning to introduce guidelines shortly.Â