ONDC gets Namma Yatri on open mobility network;  Launches Bengaluru challenge

ONDC gets Namma Yatri on open mobility network; 

Launches Bengaluru challenge

• ONDC bets big on open mobility network by onboarding Namma Yatri on the network

• Namma Yatri has 45,000 drivers and 4.5 lakh customers and is 100% open-sourced

• Open mobility will enable interoperable & multimodal transportation and inclusive growth

Bengaluru, Mar 23, 2023: Namma Yatri, a Bengaluru-based auto booking app, becomes part of ONDC’s open network for mobility initiative. Namma Yatri tech enables drivers to offer their services directly to customers with zero commission. ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce), a section 8 non-profit organisation, was set up by the Government of India’s commerce ministry to democratise digital commerce. ONDC’s open mobility initiative will be a boon to customers in multiple ways – it will lead to the customers being able to book rides from their favourite apps as well as enable the integration of multiple modes of transportation such as metro, auto, buses which will make travelling more affordable and hassle-free.

Namma Yatri, built and launched by Juspay Technologies in partnership with Bengaluru drivers, has set records to be the first community-led initiative with nearly 45,000 drivers and 4.5 lakh customers. The app recently became 100% open, and called for citizens’ collective participation. The app currently clocks nearly 1 lakh weekly trips and intends to further amplify its growth by being part of the ONDC network. 

Announcing the partnership, Mr T Koshy, the CEO of ONDC, said, “We are excited to welcome Namma Yatri to the ONDC network. An open mobility network on ONDC will build a large ecosystem of customers and service providers, fuelling many innovations & possibilities. First, it increases customer convenience by digitising and integrating all mobility services. Then, it provides equal opportunities to mobility players of all sizes and between existing and new players. It also helps drivers and service providers to earn a livelihood not beholden to platform interests. Finally, it amplifies the impact and the leverage of public transportation systems. What UPI and NPCI did to digital payments, ONDC intends to do for mobility.”

Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade said, “To make transportation convenient and affordable in our growing cities, it is important to provide a seamless experience to users. Open systems like ONDC enable the collaboration and interoperability needed to make it happen. Moreover, by unbundling, systems become more inclusive and efficient. Namma Yatri under the ONDC umbrella is a great start to the collaborative framework for sustainable futuristic solutions to mobility. I wish the team huge success in the endeavour.”

Mr Vimal Kumar, CEO & Founder of Juspay, said, “At Juspay, we believe in building efficient and reliable technologies that work at the population scale, and we built Namma Yatri with similar principles. The vision of Namma Yatri is to enable service providers with open and cost-effective tech products and the principles to be customer-centric. We are excited to be part of ONDC as it opens the door for open innovation and solving problems at a population scale. Moreover, we are keen to support other cities and towns in India with our tech platform. It would make urban mobility in India more affordable and seamless for customers.”

Bengaluru has some of the best brains in the world, and according to reports by Nasscom, the city has a quarter of India’s digital talent. Therefore, the city’s collective participation and open collaboration could solve the city’s mobility issues at scale. To accelerate this goal, the teams at ONDC, Beckn and Namma Yatri have come together and announced a city-wide hackathon for citizens to participate and contribute towards mobility solutions. This event is open between 23rd Mar and 9th Apr 2023 and aims to attract innovative sustainable mobility solutions. To participate and submit entries, citizens can visit www.nammayatri.in/challenge.   

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About ONDC: Incorporated on 31st December 2021, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a Section 8 company, is an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India to create a facilitative model that revolutionises digital commerce, giving greater thrust to penetration of retail e-commerce in India. ONDC is not an application, platform, intermediary, or software but a set of specifications designed to foster open, unbundled, and interoperable open networks.

About Juspay: Founded in 2012, Juspay offers a technology platform that offers digital businesses, fintechs and banks seamless, secure, reliable, enterprise-grade payments. Juspay is a key contributor to open and ecosystem initiatives like the BHIM app, UPI SDK, OCEN / GeM SAHAY, and Beckn / Namma Yatri.

About Open Mobility Challenge: www.nammayatri.in/challenge/ – An open hackathon for citizens to participate and contribute towards innovative mobility solutions as it is our collective social responsibility towards a better city with  improved mobility. The challenge is open for anyone to participate and organised by ONDC, Beckn and Juspay/Namma Yatri. There are 3 tracks and 10 challenges to be solved. There are cash prizes, job offers and goodies. The submission deadline is 9 Apr 2023.