Ola to provide cars to BMC for ferrying health workers in Mumbai amid lockdown

Cab aggregator Ola on Wednesday announced its partnership with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to support essential mobility amid the nationwide lockdown forced by coronavirus pandemic.

"Ola has provided a dedicated fleet of cars to BMC in order to help ferry medical staff, healthcare workers and paramedical staff from homes to hospitals in Mumbai. The cars will also be used to ferry doctors and BMC officials across Mumbai to help the frontline warriors fight against Covid-19," the company said in a statement.

Speaking on the partnership, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said: "We are happy to partner with Ola and help ferry doctors, healthcare workers and hundreds of frontline workers to help them perform their essential duties. We look forward to working with Ola to find more ways of helping Mumbaikars in our fight against Covid-19 in the true spirit of the city."

Ola Spokesperson Anand Subramanian said that this partnership will play "an essential role in transporting Covid-19 warriors like frontline and healthcare workers who are helping us in these crucial and testing times".

"We are thankful to BMC for the opportunity and will continue to work with them to enable essential mobility in Mumbai," he said.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of lockdown till May 3 amid surging coronavirus cases in the country.