Uber to set up facility in Hyderabad

Sixteen months ago Uber transformed urban mobility for millions of Indians, when it launched in Hyderabad, by introducing a more safe, reliable and efficient way to move around the city. Uber is available in over 328 cities in 58 countries and in India it has rolled out services in 18 cities. “It will make Hyderabad the largest Uber office in the world outside the USA”, Sidharth Shanker, general manager of Uber Hyderabad operations, said after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government. The new center will be a “state-of-the-art facility that will house hundreds of new employees”, the company said. Uber and the Telangana government will partner to create socio-economic opportunities for women and people for resource-poor sections of society.

Despite these issues, Uber, which started operations in India in October 2013, has continued to grow steadily.

The most fascinating part of this whole MoU is that, as per Central Government notification, Uber is banned in Hyderabad.

Uber’s application for a radio-dispatched taxi license, which would allow it to operate in Delhi, was rejected in June. The state authority issued an advisory to passengers earlier this year to avoid using services like Uber, which “didn’t fit the regulatory framework”, Mr. Venkateswarlu said. Venkateswarlu, a joint commissioner at Telangana’s transport department.

It appears Hyderabad is becoming the preferred choice for tech companies – with Google investing over Rs 100 crore to set up its biggest campus in the city, and Amazon India too opening its largest fulfilment centre. Drivers in India work under contract for the company.

The taxi-booking app recently appointed Amit Jain, a ex- top executive at US-based Rent.com, as its first India head. These candidates will then become Uber cab drivers. Uber continues to operate in Delhi despite the ban.

The company will leverage its unique model to create unrivalled entrepreneurship opportunities and support tens of thousands of middle class jobs in the state of Telangana.