YOU CAN NOW RENT A CAR & DRIVE YOURSELF FROM METRO STATIONS IN CHENNAI

Commuters heading out of metro stations in Chennai will now be able to rent a car and drive themselves to the desired destination.

According to a report in Times of India, the Chennai Metro Rail Corporation (CMRL) has joined hands with car rental service Zoomcar. The company started the initiative on a trial basis on Tuesday. They parked 15 cars at the Thirumangalam metro station. The car rental service comes as an addition to the share cabs, autos, bikes and bicycles that are provided by the CMRL as part of last mile connectivity.

"It is an effort to provide commuters an option to choose from when they step out of a metro station. Depending on the feedback, we will extend these self-drive rental cars to other stations," a metro rail official said.

In terms of options, commuters will be able to choose from options like Ford Figo and Tata Hexa on an hourly basis, daily or weekly basis. In order to rent a car, they will have to register either on Zoomcar's mobile app or through their web portal.

Commuters registering for the first time will have to pay a deposit of Rs 5,000 and will have to upload a copy of their driving license after choosing their location and preferred car, a Zoomcar official was quoted as saying.

The company also offers options based on distance travelled and with/without fuel options. "As of now, commuters can only opt for a round trip and return the car at the Thirumangalam station as services are only available there," the official added.

The cars are tracked through GPS for security purposes.