App cabs in Kolkata, Howrah, Salt Lake from today – Times of India

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KOLKATA: The transport department on Monday issued order allowing app-cab operations in Kolkata, Howrah, Salt Lake and Barrackpore city police commissionerate area from Tuesday. However, the rider must show the e-pass to the driver before boarding the cab, said Bengal’s transport minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Even though some other metros have already allowed app-cab operations, the government here delayed the operation for presence of numerous containment zones in the city. In the transport department order, it has been stated that app-cabs will not originate from containment zones. They will also not be allowed to go to any containment zone to drop commuters.
The service will be extended to front-line employees, service providers and those who are engaged in fighting the pandemic and running the emergency services both in government and private sectors. It will also be extended on a priority basis to the patients who have emergency, time-bound urgent treatment, health check-ups. One person will be allowed to accompany the patient.
Not more than two persons will be allowed in a cab. Strict social-distancing norms will have to be maintained. Both the riders and cabbie must wear masks, gloves during the ride.
An Ola spokesperson said that they have already adopted 10 steps towards a safer ride for driver-partner and customers as service resumes in 100+ cities across the country.
Transport department has also planned to gradually scale up the skeletal bus service, which is being run in some specific routes to facilitate the movement of essential service providers and vendors selling essential commodities.