Srinagar: JK Cabs, the first taxi aggregator service in Jammu and Kashmir, is going to hit Srinagar roads on Friday afternoon. The Uber, Ola type taxi service is a start-up venture of a Srinagar youth who is qualified in business administration, logistics and information technology and aims to provide employment and support to the taxi drivers of the Jammu and Kashmir Union territory (UT).
"We have joined hands with 300 cab owners/drivers to provide support, reliable, safe, affordable and efficient transport service in the UT as well as creating employment for the youth," Fazil Showkat, proprietor of JK CABS, told ETV Bharat.
Fazil Showkat is a resident of Srinagar's Sanat Nagar area and has done Masters in Business Administration.
"I was working on the project for the past two years but due to some financial constraints, I wasn't able to start the service. Finally, now everything is sorted and the service will be launched this Friday," Fazil said.
For Fazil, the service is aimed to provide hassle-free transport to the residents at nominal charges along with providing job opportunities for the drivers who have been suffering since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
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"We all have noticed how auto-rickshawala have a monopoly in the market and are charging customers heavily. We are planning to bring an end to this while providing cab service at the doorstep. All our drivers have been cross-verified by the police hence customers must not be worried about safety," he said, adding, "The following abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, several taxi operators were left jobless due to no tourism in the Valley. We have collaborated with them and will be paid at the rate of Rs 14 per kilometre."
According to Fazil, JK CABS will be both online as well as offline, unlike Ola and Uber taxi service.
"You can never plan anything in Kashmir. The situation can change anytime. That's why we are starting the cab service initially via offline mode. All you have to do is to call our toll free number and the cab will reach your doorstep. No questions will be asked by the driver regarding destination or pick up point," Fazil says.
"By October our mobile app will be ready. The app is being designed to function smoothly at 2G speed. After that, customers can use any mode to book a ride to anywhere in the city," he added.
Interestingly, the JK CABS is being launched in Jammu and Kashmir after exactly four months after Principal Secretary Transport Asgar Samoon had announced taxi service on the patterns of Ola and Uber to be started across in the Union territory.
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