App-based ride-hailing platform Ola is offering its technology platform and capabilities to the state and central government and public service organisations through its newly launched ‘Ola Connects’ (comprehensive navigation, networking, control and tracking solution) initiative.

The company says Ola Connects can be deployed as a turn-key solution or customised for specific requirements, to assist governments and its various agencies for various operations at scale, with 100 percent data privacy and world-class security. Keeping in mind, the national interest and welfare of citizens at this crisis time, it is offering the Connects platform and required development solutions free-of-cost.

The platform offers capabilities such as navigation and real-time tracking, to track millions of enrolled vehicles/people 24x7. The user activity can be restricted to specific zones with alerting mechanisms on deviation through geo-fencing controls. Other capabilities include a real-time alert system as well as crowd and flow management, which will enable scheduling, flow control and planning capabilities to support social distancing norms. Furthermore, through AI-enabled selfie authentication authorities can conduct random checks to ensure all preventive measures like usage of masks are being strictly adhered to.

The company says Ola Connects can be replicated across various use cases including emergency and healthcare support, supply chain management, law enforcement, frontline resource deployment, incident and information response, and war-room management, amongst others.

Commenting on the launch of Ola Connects, Pranay Jivrajka, co-founder, Ola said, “With the widespread outbreak of Covid-19, nations across the globe are taking bold measures to counter the threat posed by the pandemic. India has been leading this fight by example, through the implementation of strict on-ground measures. As a platform that serves hundreds of millions of users everyday, our scale and innovations can be put to good use during these very challenging times.”

“By opening up Ola Connects to various state governments and public service organisations across the country, we are able to offer a ready to deploy technology solution that addresses unique challenges in the various relief initiatives that are under way. All of Ola’s innovations across AI, tracking technologies, allocation and flow management are part of the Connects platform. We are committed to serving the nation in every way possible and are offering this platform free of cost, dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of doctors, healthcare professionals and frontline staff leading our fight against Covid-19.”

Ola says that it has already collaborated with the government of Punjab to provide officials with a medium to effectively track and manage over 17 lakh farmers’ produce and their vehicle movement into Mandis across the state while following social distancing norms. The company is working closely with the Punjab government, and has shared its technology capabilities to provide a direct channel to pass authentic information to farmers including distributing security travel passes digitally thus eliminating the need of physical distribution, which happens at large gatherings.

Ola Connects has a centralised dashboard, which can track the movement of farmers along with their vehicles in and around mandis enabling officials to manage the flow of farmers when collecting their produce to prevent crowding.

Ravi Bhagat, secretary, Punjab Mandi Board and Special Secretary, governance Reforms said, “With essential services working with limited manpower, this unique partnership with Ola will help in minimising the disruption to the critical food supply network in the country by ensuring the safety of farmers as well as the mandi officials as per the protocols set by the government. Ola Connects is a powerful platform that stakeholders across the government can quickly deploy to benefit citizens at large amidst the ongoing crisis."