Now, Kochi Metro Rail Joins ONDC Network To Fuel Mobility Experience

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has expanded its offerings with the addition of Kochi Metro Rail into its growing mobility domain.

This comes after the network partnered with Chennai Metro to launch its ‘Metro Rail’ service in February. Following this Kochi Metro Rail now becomes the second metro service to join the ONDC Network.

Starting from Thursday (April 4), commuters will be able to purchase single journey and return journey tickets for the Kochi Metro through four buyer apps on the ONDC Network: Yatri, Paytm, Rapido, and redBus. Moreover, customers will have the option to book tickets via the PhonePe app. In the future, booking tickets from Google Maps, Uber, and EaseMyTrip, among others, will also be made available to customers.

Reportedly, in March alone, ONDC saw mobility accounting for 53.41% (41,05,459) of its total orders which were 76,85,286.

Furthermore, any new buyer app joining the ONDC Network will have immediate access to Kochi Metro’s ticket inventory, enhancing customer choice and convenience.

In a statement T. Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC, said, “…As we move forward, it is exciting to witness newer entities joining the Open Network, ultimately creating an ecosystem wherein everything whether it’s metro tickets, auto booking, cab bookings, grocery shopping etc – all is available in one Open Network.”

Sanjiv Singh, joint secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), highlighted that integrating KMRL with ONDC aims to create a future where digital inclusivity enhances urban transport, making it a personalised experience for every citizen. This move is part of the broader mission to digitise and streamline urban transit, ensuring accessibility and efficiency for all.

Loknath Behera, MD of Kochi Metro Rail Limited, stated that their ticketing services would now be accessible through a diverse range of buyer apps on the ONDC Network, marking a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and convenience for the valued commuters.

Abhay Sharma, chief business officer of Payments at Paytm, said, “We are excited to work with ONDC to introduce QR-based ticketing for Kochi Metro. Our goal is to make the travel experience for Kochi Metro passengers smoother and more convenient.”

Yuvraj Singh Shekhawat, the chief business officer of Merchant Business at PhonePe, mentioned that in the Switch section of the PhonePe app, commuters can conveniently book their tickets without the long wait times often associated with ticket booking. 

Pavan Guntupalli, cofounder of Rapido, said, “By leveraging the extensive reach and reliability of Rapido’s platform, we anticipate that at least 15% of metro tickets in Kochi will be seamlessly purchased through our app.”

Prakash Sangam, CEO of redBus commented “We are excited to be part of ONDC’s journey as it adds Kochi Metro to its network and sets new standards in consumer convenience and choice.” 

As per ONDC, the inclusion of Kochi Metro Rail on the ONDC Network marks a major step toward creating a comprehensive digital multimodal transit system. Commuters can seamlessly combine different modes of transport, including First Mile (Auto), Middle Mile (Metro Rail), and Last Mile (Auto), all accessible through the Network.

Shan M S, chief growth officer, Juspay, said, “This is a major step towards India’s vision of creating an efficient, sustainable, and community-centered urban mobility ecosystem.”

Rikant Pittie, cofounder of EaseMyTrip, expressed, “This initiative signifies a major advancement towards a unified digital ecosystem for travel, simplifying the journey and enhancing overall experiences.”

ONDC, a private non-profit platform backed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), aims to democratise ecommerce in the country. It has been constantly adding new offerings and partners to expand its net. 

In February it inked a pact with ride-hailing platform Uber to expand its range of mobility offerings.

Besides, Bengaluru-based ride hailing startup Namma Yatri also joined the network and forayed into the Delhi market.

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.