Uber expands services to four more cities

Cab hailing app Uber has expanded operations in four more cities of Ajmer, Jodhpur Udaipur and Mangalore, taking the total to 26 towns in the country.

The company said the launch comes after it signed an MoU with the Rajasthan government early in November to provide 35,000 new entrepreneurship opportunities, contribute to technology-related skills training and smart city initiatives and a commitment to launch its ride-sharing service in the state.

Mangalore will be the third city in Karnataka where Uber has launched its operations.

"Since our launch in Jaipur in August 2014, we've got great feedback and support from our riders, with a growing demand in other cities... we are looking forward to mobilize the skilled labour market by providing thousands of entrepreneurship opportunities on our platform," Gagan Bhatia, GM, Uber India (North) said in a statement.

US-based Uber in July this year had announced to invest USD 1 billion (about Rs 6,400 crore) in India in nine months to expands operations in the country.

Rough Road Ahead for Car industry

Cities against SMOG - Challenges of Auto Industries

Delhi and Beijing. Two very polluted cities. Two different measures are under way.

With some studies indicating that automobiles are one of the biggest pollutants, reducing the cars on roads is one way, cities focused on.

When Beijing's air was forecast to reach hazardous levels for three straight days earlier in December, the government issued a smog red alert. The result: Half the city's cars were off the roads within hours. Less than three days later, pollution levels had dropped by 30 per cent. 

The Delhi government is rolling out a 15-day experiment where cars with odd-and-even numbers will be allowed on odd-and-even days respectively. Delhi's Odd even formula trial-run commences from Jan 1,2016 to Jan 15,2016. 

 Odd Even formula:

• Registration number ending in odd number is allowed on odd day.
• Similarly, even number on even day.
• The rule will be enforced between 8 am- 8 pm.
• Not applicable on Sundays. 

At the same time, the National Green Tribunal of India has directed its centre and the Delhi government not to buy any diesel vehicles for their departments.

"As Delhi debates, Beijing declares war on pollution," The Times of India sneered on its front page last week, when Beijing announced the red alert. Because of these initiatives and debates Passenger Car market is having sleepless nights."I am not saying revival of the industry is more important than people's health. But people must get their facts right. Petrol cars do not pollute much," says RC Bhargava,Chairman,Maruti Suzuki Ltd.

Pollution is a big problem. Time for next generation fuels. Many countries started focusing on environmental-friendly fuels like solar and electric. Car manufacturers focused on diesel and petrol needs to hurry up in finding a solution in providing a pollution-free environment for journey towards a sustainable future.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has joined the sustainability committee of the world's first fully-electric car racing series Formula E.

Mahindra, whose group also fields as team -- Mahindra Racing Formula E -- in the series, will sit alongside Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, other CEOs of series partners and Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag in the newly-formed committee, Mahindra Racing said in a statement.

The sustainability committee is made up of various global corporations that are working towards a common vision of a sustainable future, and is a think tank that addresses some of the world's most pressing environmental issues.

It focuses on promotion and development of technologies in urban mobility, and changing perceptions towards the use of electric vehicles, it added.

Commenting on the development, Mahindra said the Formula E Sustainability Committee is committed to increasing the appeal of electric vehicles, particularly in urban centres.

"This aligns perfectly with the Mahindra Group's vision of co-creating the Future of Mobility, while driving positive change in the global communities in which we operate," he added.

Agag said Mahindra's experience and knowledge will not only be invaluable to the growth of sustainable transportation technologies, but also the collaboration of our global voices to address and find solutions to important environmental issues in the journey towards a more sustainable future.