Digital drive: App-based taxi services finally hit the road in Kozhikode

In a shift in stance, the city has recently welcomed 65 such taxis, autos onto its streets

- POOJA NAIR @KOZHIKODE

AFTER years of resistance and delay, Kozhikode city is finally seeing the slow but steady rise of online taxi services like Uber and other local taxi service apps. Once known for its fierce opposition to app-based transportation, the city has recently welcomed around 65 online taxis and autos onto its streets, marking a major shift in its urban mobility narrative.

For years, attempts to launch services like Uber and other online taxi service apps in Kozhikode faced backlash from local taxi unions and auto-rickshaw associations. Those opposing cited reasons including unfair competition, fear of job loss, and lack of regulation. But things are now taking a turn.