Book Your Shikara Online: Uber Launches Asia's First Water Taxi Service in India

Dec 3, 2024, 20:19 IST

Uber has made history by launching Uber Shikara, Asia's first water transport service, in Srinagar's beautiful Dal Lake, Jammu & Kashmir. This new service aims to enhance accessibility and improve tourism by offering tourists a smoother and more convenient shikara experience.  

Up to four people can go from Shikara Ghat No. 16 on each Uber Shikara ride.
Up to four people can go from Shikara Ghat No. 16 on each Uber Shikara ride.

Uber has made history by launching Uber Shikara, Asia's first water transportation service, in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir's picturesque Dal Lake. The company aims to fuse technology with Kashmir's cultural legacy. This creative project seeks to provide visitors with a smooth and contemporary method to enjoy the traditional shikara ride, a well-liked attraction in the area. 

With this new service, Uber hopes to improve accessibility and boost tourism by giving tourists a more pleasant and hassle-free shikara experience.

First Water Transport Service in Asia

An Uber representative affirmed that the company offers the first water transportation service in Asia in India.

Uber allows users to schedule water transportation in a few European nations, such as Venice, Italy.

Based on the popularity of the service, the company intends to progressively grow the fleet in India, where it has already onboarded seven Shikaras.

Book Shikaras at Government Prices on Uber

Users of Uber will be able to reserve shikara at prices set by the government. According to a representative for the company, Uber does not charge its Shikara partners any fees and will transfer the full sum to them. 

Up to four people can go from Shikara Ghat No. 16 on each Uber Shikara ride, which can be scheduled for one hour between 10 am and 5 pm.

Bookings for Uber Shikara journeys can be made up to 15 days in advance and 12 hours beforehand. 

Uber Shikaras In Dal Lake

Wali Mohammad Bhatt, President of the Shikara Owners Association, shared that there are about 4,000 shikaras in Dal Lake. He further expressed hope that Uber will onboard more shikara operators in the city. 

"Uber's service will benefit shikara operators by enabling boat bookings through the app at fixed rates, eliminating the need for bargaining and providing convenience to tourists. This system will also ensure a steady income for the operators. We anticipate more shikara owners joining Uber based on the tourists' response," Bhatt said.

Vidhee Tripathi
Vidhee Tripathi

Content Writer

Vidhee Tripathi completed her PG Diploma degree in Digital Media from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. She is a graduate in Science with chemistry honors from Banaras Hindu University. She has 2 years of experience in various aspects of journalism. She was previously associated with the social media wing of Akashvani. At jagranjosh.com, currently she covers current affairs, national news and international news. She is also associated with the education news section of Jagran Josh.

Certificate: Creative Writing, Problem Solving, Web Content Writing
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