Transport minister Snehasish Chakraborty has informed that after Kolkata, the Yatri Sathi app will be launched in important towns of Asansol and Siliguri too.
The Yatri Sathi app, which is a brainchild of state chief minister Mamata Banerjee has become very popular after its launch in Kolkata in January, this year.
In fact, the kiosk of Yatri Sathi, located just outside the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata has also become popular and is competing with other various private online cab operators.
Minister Chakraborty said that already the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate has been given approval from the state government to start the app-based service in Asansol before the Durga Puja.
Both the drivers, owners of the vehicles and the end users will be equally benefited through this launch in Asansol, the minister said.
For Asansol, the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate has been entrusted to look after this app-based service, Mr Chakraborty added.
Since the launching of this government Yatri Sathi app in Kolkata about six months ago, about 22 lakh people have been benefited, according to the state government’s transport department’s data.
Besides Asansol town, the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate has also planned to introduce the service in Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal on experimental basis in the first phase, said B G Satish, deputy commissioner (Traffic) of Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate.
A primary meeting on this issue has also been held along with the registered auto-rickshaw and taxi unions. ADPC officials are also trying to bring the registered auto-rickshaws under this Yatri Sathi app-based cab service in Asansol.