Ola partners with Government of Punjab;Launches ‘Ola Emergency’ in Five Cities Across Punjab for Essential Medical

By 121 News

Chandigarh April 25, 2020:-Ola, India's leading mobility platform and one of the world's largest ride hailing companies, has announced the launch of 'Ola Emergency' on its app in collaboration with the Government of Punjab. The new category provides a much-needed mobility solution to citizens who are unable to access a hospital in case of medical emergencies. Starting today, the service will be available in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali and Amritsar for medical travel that do not require an ambulance.

Citizens across these cities can seamlessly book a cab by selecting the "Ola Emergency" category and picking the drop location from the list of available hospitals. A dedicated network of cars that are equipped with masks and sanitizers have been earmarked to provide the service, and will be operated by specially trained drivers. Ola has enabled 39 hospitals in Jalandhar, 23 hospitals in Ludhiana, 24 hospitals in Patiala and 18 and 44 hospitals in Mohali and Amritsar, respectively, on its app to provide the service and ensure that trips are only made from homes to hospitals and vice-versa.

Speaking on the initiative, KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary Food, Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs, Punjab said that we appreciate Ola's initiative to facilitate emergency transportation in Punjab for medical trips and emergencies visits to hospitals. The service will also be utilized for transferring patients from one hospital to another. We have to come together to fight against this pandemic and keep ourselves safe.

Speaking on 'Ola Emergency' services, Anand Subramanian, Spokesperson and Head of Communications, Ola, said that we are thankful to the Government of Punjab for giving us another opportunity to collaborate and serve the people in these challenging times. With over 150 hospitals mapped across Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali and Amritsar,'Ola Emergency' will be a convenient and safe transport solution for thousands of citizens who need to visit hospitals for medical emergencies.

He further added that all drivers on the network are trained to follow proper hygiene measures, including wearing masks and having hand sanitizers in the cars. The service will provide relief for citizens with scheduled medical trips such as check-ups, dialysis, chemotherapy as well as immediate needs such as non-COVID illness or physical injuries, amongst others.

In a recent collaboration with the State Government, Ola partnered with the Punjab Mandi Board with a platform to effectively track and manage over 17 lakh farmers' produce and their vehicle movement into Mandis in Punjab through the Ola CONNECT initiative. Ola continues to work with various State Governments and authorities to provide hassle-free mobility solutions for essential travel. 'Ola Emergency' is now available across major Indian cities including Bangalore, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Vizag, and Nashik, among others and will be introduced in more cities over the coming days. Customers will be charged a nominal fare to compensate driver-partners for their services.