Namma Yatri and EnAble India Launch Nationwide Expansion of Purple Rides on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

2024-12-05 01:34:00 News & Society

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3 December 2024, Bangalore: Namma Yatri, India\'s leading open mobility app, in partnership with EnAble India, has announced the nationwide launch of its \"Purple Rides\" service, extending accessible auto and cab services to Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, and other cities across India. Following a successful rollout in Bangalore, this initiative aims to revolutionise mobility for persons with disabilities (PwDs) by combining accessibility with empowerment.

Purple Rides, a collaborative effort by Namma Yatri and EnAble India, integrates driver training programs, app customisations, and driver assistance systems to meet users\' unique needs with visual, hearing, and physical impairments. Features such as ride profile customisations ensure every journey is comfortable and empowering for PwDs.

In Bangalore, the Purple Rides auto service has completed over 2.36 lakh trips, generating ₹3.44 crore in earnings for drivers and serving a user base of 1.53 lakh individuals. With 2.32 lakh drivers trained to provide accessible services, Purple Rides has set a benchmark for inclusive transportation, which is now being expanded to cab services in new cities.

By offering both auto and cab services, Purple Rides addresses mobility challenges faced by PwDs in urban and semi-urban areas. This strategic expansion brings the vision of inclusive transportation to a national level, empowering PwDs with safe, reliable, and accessible travel options.

\"This launch is a milestone in our journey to make mobility accessible to all,\" said Shanti Raghavan, Founder & Chief Enabler at EnAble India. \"Together with Namma Yatri, we are building a future where transportation is inclusive, affordable, and empowering.\"

Purple Ride\'s impact is already evident in Bangalore, where its auto service has highlighted the demand for accessible transport while generating significant earnings for drivers. The nationwide expansion promises to amplify this success, bringing meaningful change to the lives of PwDs across India.

\"Namma Yatri empowers me with thoughtful app customisations and caring drivers,\" said Anisha, a visually impaired Purple Rides user in Bangalore. \"Every ride feels like a step toward true independence.\"

\"Being able to assist individuals with disabilities brings immense satisfaction,\" shared Basavaraj, a driver associated with Purple Rides. \"It\'s about making a difference in someone\'s life.\"

This expansion underscores the transformative potential of community-driven initiatives like Purple Rides. By integrating technology, training, and empathy, Namma Yatri and EnAble India are not just providing rides, they are redefining the landscape of inclusive mobility across India.

About EnAble India (EI):

EnAble India (EI) is a not-for-profit organization working for the economic independence and dignity of persons with disabilities (PwDs) since 1999, impacting thousands of PwDs and stakeholders. Considered a pioneer in employability and the employment of persons with disabilities, EI has addressed the needs of 19 disabilities thus far. EI has positively impacted over 325,000 PwDs and their families across India. Over the past 21 years, EI has collaborated with 726 companies and 229 partner organizations across 1253 locations in more than 100 countries. EI has created 388 job roles across 34 sectors and developed more than 12 models and frameworks to train employable PwDs and inclusive leaders capable of driving change. EI\'s models and content are not only used in India but also across the globe.

About Namma Yatri:

Namma Yatri is India\'s leading open mobility app, developed by Juspay Technologies with the vision of empowering drivers to offer their services to citizens without any intermediaries. Built on top of the Open Mobility Protocol (ONDC), Namma Yatri enables drivers to provide convenient, affordable, safe, and interoperable mobility solutions on a population-scale. To date, drivers have completed over 11 million trips, earning more than Rs 167 crore without any commissions. Namma Yatri has nearly 1 lakh registered drivers and more than 20 lakh registered riders.