Uber now offers boat hailing in India

According to , Uber now offers boat-hailing services on Dal Lake, located in the Kashmir region in India. These wooden Shikara boats are decorated with bright colors and have seemingly comfortable pillows to let tourists enjoy a scenic boat ride.

Those who want to enjoy the Dal Lake Shikara rides through Uber can make reservations at least 12 hours (and up to 15 days) in advance.

Currently, around 4,000 Shikaras operate on Dal Lake. According to Uber, the app will let riders match with Shikara operators but won’t charge a fee. All of the boat ticket money paid by the passenger goes to the operator.

The Shikara operators shared mixed feelings about Uber’s entry into the market with Reuters. Some say working with Uber can help prevent bargaining and cheating, while others claim this won’t make a difference.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Uber is offering transport besides cars. launched in 2019. by Thames Clippers is another service available in London, and it recently launched this summer. The company has also inserted itself into , and, improbably, .