KOLKATA: Indian online car rental aggregator firm Ola Cabs is looking at expanding its operations in Kolkata. The company is planning to increase its driver sign-ups in Kolkata from the current 1,500 to 5,000 in the coming three months, informs Ola Cabs head of strategic initiatives, Puneet Singh Arora. 

Ola Cabs has also switched its primary payment gateway to PayU from Zaakpay as the startup competes with Uber and Meru to offer customers the facility of seamless mobile payment transactions.

Arora said that the company does not own the cars but signs-up with the drivers who are the actual owners of the cars. The company operates its services on a revenue sharing model.

It also has an auto-rickshaw rental service in seven cities.

“Nationally, we have over one lakh driver sign-ups, of which 80 per cent are cars including sedans and hatchbacks and the rest 20,000 comprises auto rickshaws,” he said.

Arora said the organised car rental market in India is still at a nascent stage and comprises only 10 per cent of the car rental market.

When asked if the company is considering launching auto-rickshaw rentals in Kolkata or expand to other cities, Arora said, “We consider introducing new services based on the city's requirements.”

The company is growing by 40 per cent on a month-on-month basis and wishes to retain the momentum, an official said.

The company also announced the extension of its ‘Ola Pragati’ program in Kolkata in association with Shriram Transport Finance Company, SBI and Mahindra Finance.