Yatri Sathi

I have often used this app for rides because it is provided by the government. However I have had two incidents of it that makes me question the genuineness of this app. The first incident was my trip from Bagdogra to Darjeeling. The person at the counter claimed that the ride would charge me 2700 but at the end of the ride the app showed 1700, however I still had to pay the amount that was told by the person which is like 1000 rupees costlier. Another incident was on my ride from Kolkata Airport to my home. The driver was constantly texting someone in WhatsApp throughout the ride and was often left used both his hands to type instead of holding the wheel, he even was driving at least at a speed of 50+ km/h with both his two hands and eyes on the phone. I have never felt so scared in a ride and I wonder if the app even considers our feedbacks.

I recently travelled to Kolkata and tried to get the service of the Yatri Sathi for the first time. The cab drivers on the app ask for additional parking charges which is already in fare. I tried this with 2 cabs and both drivers mentioned the additional parking charges. Even informing them that it’s already part of the fare they insisted to pay the extra charges. I had to cancel both rides and take the assistance of their booth service in from the Airport exit in order to get the cab with proper fare

I attempted to book an Uber three times at the airport, but each time, the driver called and canceled due to issues like estimated cash discrepancies, location confusion, or insisting on cash-only payments. Frustrated, I noticed a stand labeled "Yatri Saathi." I approached them, and the attendant took my phone number, asked for the OTP sent to me, and entered the destination details. The fare, along with an OTP to be shared with the driver, was seamlessly sent to me via SMS. The fare was 40% less than what Uber was charging, and the driver didn't cancel the ride. It felt like a blessing, especially at 2 AM at Kolkata airport when other drivers were either canceling or overcharging. I truly appreciate this government initiative and believe other states should adopt it as well. Five stars for such an excellent experience!