Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

The much-fancied public bike-sharing project, which was launched last week, is marred with hiccups.

‘People being duped’

There are chinks in the project as from day one, duping of people on rates has started. Normally, it should be Rs10 for half an hour for non-members, but in reality it is the base rate of Rs10 plus 18 per cent GST. For a nearly 15 minutes ride, I paid Rs11.80. There are other issues too. — RK Garg, A social activist

From starting/ending e-cycle rides to payment issues, many people are facing a tough time while using these.

In a firsthand experience at a docking station in Sector 29, this correspondent downloaded the Smart Bike App and had to mandatorily keep a minimum balance of Rs50 in the app wallet to take a ride.

However, even after making the payment, the lock of the bike did not open. Despite repeated attempts, it did not work and the app displayed “unable to perform action right now.”

On using the option of ending the ride, Rs11.8 was deducted even though it was advertised by Chandigarh Smart City Limited that Rs10 was the rate for half an hour. However, company officials are also charging the GST. On a second try with another cycle, the app showed low balance and said at least Rs50 was required as the balance.

Another user, who tried to ride an e-cycle, got the message that the battery of the cycle was low. Yet another user, who returned to the station after a ride, parked and locked the e-cycle, but the time continued in the app for the payment.

“I made several attempts, but the ride in my app ended a few minutes later while my billing minutes continued,” he said.

“Yesterday, I took a ride, but the ride minutes continued on the app and I was charged even after I returned from a walk in the park,” said another user.

RK Garg, a social activist, who took the ride two days ago, said, “There are chinks in the project as from day one, duping of people on rates has started. Normally, it should be Rs10 for half an hour for non-members, but in reality it is the base rate of Rs10 plus 18 per cent GST. For a nearly 15 minutes ride, I paid Rs11.80. There are other issues too, maybe teething problems, but the company will earn.”

Abhinandan Malhotra, who heads the Chandigarh project, termed it a “mobile network issue” as well as “teething problems.”

“We have got a good response of 2,500-3,000 rides daily in Chandigarh. There are 20 to 30 cases where issues are faced, it is only or 2 per cent of the total rides.

The starting and ending ride problems are mainly due to the mobile network issue. It is clearly mentioned in the agreement that the GST is extra,” he reasoned. “The amount must be refunded in case of a ‘no ride’ and app support issues should be resolved to make the project a success here,” said one of the users. On August 12, the UT Administrator had launched the first phase, which has 1,250 bicycles at 155 docking stations in the city. By the end of this year, Chandigarh Smart City Limited, through a private agency, hopes to make 617 docking stations with a total of 5,000 bicycles.