Uber Partners with Delhi Government to Promote Clean Mobility Amid Smog

Uber and Delhi Government collaborated to support the adoption of cleaner form of public transport. These steps aim to make it easier for people in Delhi to choose the Metro, shared mobility and electric vehicles over private car usage.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister for Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi, said in a press release, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government has announced a series of initiatives to curb air pollution."

Acknowledging that Delhi’s air quality challenge cannot be addressed without reducing the number of private vehicles on our roads, he appreciated the efforts by shared mobility platforms such as Uber to encourage greater use of public transport.

Elaborating on the importance of their contribution to a coordinated solution, Amit Deshpande, Head – City Operations, Uber India, said, “Tackling air quality challenges requires collective action and coordinated solutions.”

Deshpande further added that Uber is supporting the Delhi government’s initiatives by making public transport and sustainable mobility options more accessible. Measures such as discounted metro tickets, reliable first- and last-mile connectivity, electric vehicles and shared high-capacity services are aimed at enabling commuters to make smarter and more sustainable choices for their daily travel.

Uber is offering a first free Metro ride (up to ₹25) for riders booking a Metro ticket through the Uber app for the first time until 21 January to help more people choose the Delhi Metro for their daily commute. By integrating Metro ticketing into the app, Uber aims to simplify access, reduce station queues and make public transport more seamless. In addition, Uber is making access to Metro stations easier by offering discounts of up to 30% on bike trips (up to ₹20) for first- and last-mile travel to and from Metro stations until 11 February.

In addition, Uber is encouraging Delhiites to opt for cleaner and shared mobility alternatives for longer trips. With nearly 1000 electric vehicles operating in the city, Uber Electric provides a convenient lower-emission alternative and will run with a 10% discount (up to ₹50) until 11 February. In addition, Uber Shuttle, a high-capacity vehicle option, offers a responsible commuting option by reducing the number of individual vehicles on the road - helping reduce reliance on personal vehicles while supporting more efficient commuting.

Delhi Chokes Under Smog

This initiative comes at a time when Delhi is experiencing ‘very poor’ air quality levels. The average air quality index (AQI) of past 24 hours was 353 on January 14 at 4pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) levels.

In addition to deteriorating air quality, Delhi is experiencing an intense cold wave. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), early morning temperatures in the city dropped to around 3-4 degrees Celsius. According to the IMD forecast, similar cold conditions are likely to persist throughout the day.

According to the AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.