Andhra Pradesh launches India’s first driver-guided tourism service
Vijayawada: The state government launched the country’s first ‘Driver-cum-Guide’ tourism mobility system in partnership with Rapido, aiming to make travel in the state more accessible and informative while raising incomes for local drivers.
The tourism department announced the initiative on Thursday, noting that it stems from the MoU signed at the recent Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, APTDC chairman Nookasani Balaji, special chief secretary Ajay Jain and Rapido co-founder Pawan Guntupalli.
Under the programme, drivers with strong ratings on Rapido will be shortlisted and trained in Andhra Pradesh’s history, culture, hospitality standards and tourist safety. The services will roll out first in Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.
Tourists will be able to access autos, cabs and curated tourist circuits directly on the Rapido app. The government will also establish co-branded help desks at airports, railway stations and major bus terminals to streamline travel assistance.
Officials said the PPP-based model leverages technology to create a new benchmark in tourist mobility and will significantly enhance earnings for auto and cab drivers.
Minister Durgesh described the initiative as India’s first and among the rarest of its kind globally, adding that Andhra Pradesh intends to position itself as a leader in modern, traveller-friendly transport services.
