Ride-hailing app Uber on Wednesday announced that it will start a bus service in Kolkata for office-goers from this month.

It said that the service will start with 10 buses and by March next year, Uber Shuttle will have 60 air-conditioned buses on predefined routes, connecting business districts with residential areas of the city.

Uber will invest USD 10 million in the state by 2025, and create about 50,000 livelihood opportunities over the next five years, it said in a statement.

For the bus service, Uber signed an agreement with the state Transport Department at the Bengal Global Business Summit.

Like cabs, passengers can pre-book seats up to a week in advance for Uber Shuttle, track live location and route, and receive real-time estimated time of arrival (ETA) through the Uber app.

Uber Shuttle will offer commuters a seamless and convenient travel experience, the statement said.

The service will also provide cashless payment options, round-the-clock safety support and a comfortable ride with air-conditioned buses running from 6 am to 10 pm daily, it said.

Speaking to PTI, Shiva Shailendran, the director of operations at Uber India & South Asia, said, "Uber plans to launch its Shuttle service in Kolkata this month with an initial fleet of 10 buses and increase the size and frequency and keep adding more routes over time." "We have started the Shuttle service in a few cities including Delhi and Mumbai... Passengers can pre-book seats in these buses for specified routes," he added.

Each shuttle vehicle will have a seating capacity of 19 to 50 people. The buses will be run by local fleet partners using Uber's technology, Shailendran said.

"This unique partnership will bring the convenience and reliability of Uber rides to buses, contributing to our global sustainability goal of increasing vehicle occupancy, reducing traffic congestion, and lowering carbon emissions," he said.

"By providing commuters with more transport choices and creating livelihood opportunities for drivers, we are confident that this initiative will set us on a path of collective success," he added.

State Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan said West Bengal was committed to enhancing public transport services and expanding available options to make commuting hassle-free.

Our partnership with Uber is another step in this direction, he said.

Snap-E Cabs, which also signed an agreement with the state government, said it will invest around Rs 325 crore in electric vehicles in the state by March 2024.

"The company intends to invest Rs 2,825 crore in West Bengal by 2025 for providing eco-friendly and e-mobility options," an official the ride-hailing app said.

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