Apps to enable hassle-free rides this odd-even season

New Delhi, April 15: The odd-even traffic rule -- introduced in the capital in January for the first time and touted as a big sucess -- returned from Friday, April 15. There are certain apps that can make your daily ride to office and back home a smooth exercise.

While the Delhi government has ensured various measures for the aid of the people as well as for the success of the scheme, using the apps can come in handy.

During the odd-even restriction in January, Orahi app saw a 400 percent surge in website-traffic and a 250 percent rise in its registration and rides.

For the second round, Orahi has launched a new app that will facilitate carpooling.

"During odd-even days people will not only use regular carpool but they will also be able to see odd cars and even cars marked separately," Arun Bhati, founder and COO at Orahi, told IANS.

The app also sports female only groups for the women passengers and can be activated at the single click of a button.

The app can be used in entire Delhi and NCR region and is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

"We also have a responsive site for (other OS) phone users to use the app," Bhati added.

Helpchat is India's biggest personal assistant that will help you book a cab available in your vicinity, featuring quick and economic availability.

With the 'Cab' feature on Helpchat, one can actually plan and search for options and go for the best, as well as avoid price surges during peak commuting hours.

Another feature, known as 'Pollution Alert' helps one to gauge the air quality in the locality. This feature can help you take less polluted routes and also avoid air related health issues.

"We received a very good response during Delhi's first tryst with the odd-even scheme," Kali Charan Shukla, VP (marketing) at Helpchat, told IANS.

The app can be used throughout Delhi and is available for both Android and iOS devices.

360Ride is a Bengaluru-based start-up that offers a people-to-people (P2P) powered free ride sharing platform for commuters. Launched in 2015, it aims at creating a strong pool of like-minded and verified commuters by becoming an alternative mode of urban transportation.

"We are a ridesharing platform for two, three and four wheelers which can really solve the commute problems in Delhi," Lokesh Bevara, CEO & co-founder of 360 Ride, told IANS.

For additional security 360 Ride relies on government IDs for verifying users.

The features include a map-based booking system, panic button and distance estimation.

And, to ensure the safety of women, the company has made it mandatory for them to only share rides with females.

"Helping to ease out students on their pocket money, we have rolled out a program called "Share and Earn" using which one can earn up to Rs.1,200 for sharing a ride in a four-wheeler and Rs.600 on a two-wheeler," Bevara explained.

The app has connectivity throughout the Delhi and NCR region. It is currently android based but the company is in the process of launching an iOS app by the end of May.

Jugnoo is an auto-rickshaw aggregator offering one of the largest networks of three-wheelers in India. During the first trial of the odd-even scheme, Jugnoo joined hands with Paytm to make it easier for the 'aam aadmi' comply with the rule.

An emergency tracking option, improved auto location tracking with animated auto movement and single tap booking and cancelling, as well as in-app customer support are some of the new features added to the app.

The company has also introduced new gamification techniques to keep users engaged.

For the safety and security of female passengers, Jugnoo has introduced an emergency tracking option that will allow commuters to track their route on a real-time basis.

The app also features a SOS notification to send out alert in case of any unfortunate incident.

Jugnoo has its presence all over Delhi, including the NCR region, and is available on all the platforms: android, Windows and iOS.

IANS