In News: Kerala has soft launched ‘Kerala Savari’, the country’s first online taxi service owned by a state government, to ensure fair and decent service to passengers along with fair remuneration to auto-taxi workers.
Why has the State government decided to launch this initiative?
Recently, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) had issued notices to cab aggregators Ola and Uber for unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights.
It is against this backdrop that the Kerala government has decided to come up with an app-based platform to offer auto-taxi service for the public.
What are the main attractions of ‘Kerala Savari’?
When private app-based taxi companies increase the charges for services up to two to three times during emergencies, neither passengers nor workers benefit from it.
But Kerala Savari only charges an 8% service charge in addition to the rate set by the government, whereas the private cab aggregators charge up to 20 to 30% service charge.
Private cab aggregators used to make a killing with surge pricing during peak hours or in the event of rains.
But there will be no fluctuation in fares on Kerala Savari irrespective of day or night or rain.
What is the security-related features of ‘Kerala Savari’?
A police clearance certificate is mandatory for drivers joining the scheme apart from the required proper training.
A panic button system has been introduced in the app. This button can be pressed in the event of a car accident or in cases of any other danger.
When one presses the button, there is an option to select the Police, Fire Force, and Motor Vehicle Department numbers.
If a person is in such a dangerous situation that s/he cannot select any option then pressing the button for a few seconds leads to direct connection to the police control room.
It has also been decided to install GPS in vehicles at a subsidized rate.
Thus, Kerala Savari is a safe and reliable online service for women, children, and senior citizens.
