Uber, Ola Resumes Services in Parts of India From May 4, Following New Government of India Lockdown Guidelines

Uber and Ola have partially resumed services today, over a month after cab aggregator services were halted for regular users across the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Following relaxations of lockdown rules as notified by the Government of India and various state governments across the country, Uber and Ola have resumed services in various Green and Orange zones across India. While this allows cab drivers to go back to work, cab aggregator services are still not permitted in Red Zones or designated containment zones.

As per an official announcement from Uber, services have been resumed in select areas in compliance with government regulations. Designated Green zones where Uber will resume operations are Cuttack, Daman, Guwahati, Jamshedpur, Silvassa, Kochi, and Thrissur. The company recommends no more than two passengers per vehicle, and no one should sit next to the driver.

In designated Orange zones (but outside specified containment zones), riders are expected to adhere to local regulations on the maximum number of passengers per vehicle, with no one seated next to the driver. Cities where services have been resumed include Amritsar, Asansol, Durgapur, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Hubli, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Mehsana, Mohali, Nadiad, Panchkula, Prayagraj, Rohtak, Thiruvananthapuram, Udaipur, Vapi, and Vishakhapatnam.

In Red zones, including major metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, cab aggregator services remain unavailable as per government regulations. Uber does continue to offer Uber Essential and Uber Medic services in these zones, which it has been providing during the ongoing lockdown.

Ola has also communicated by email that it is resuming services in over 100 cities across India, located in green and orange zones. There are further guidelines that the company has advised both customers and drivers to follow, including the wearing of face masks, keeping the air conditioner switched off, and flexible cancellations for both the rider and driver in case the other is not wearing a mask. The company has similarly been running limited services to assist local governments for movement of essential workers and medical staff through the lockdown period.

Other regulations are expected to be followed while using app-based cabs, including the full curfew between 7PM and 7AM, and the recommendation that senior citizens and children avoid travel except for essential requirements.