MORE OLA STORES, MODELS; BUT THERE'S A BACKLOG
The New Indian Express Kochi|December 08, 2024
LA Electric's co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal has just announced an ambitious plan to open as many as 3,200 stores by the end of December.
GURBIR SINGH
MORE OLA STORES, MODELS; BUT THERE'S A BACKLOG

These will be in addition to the current 800. Aggarwal has said the massive expansion plan is to reach electric two-wheelers (e2Ws) to every pincode in the country.

It's ironical how these announcements are relayed by our media without a caveat or a question. Even the stock market swallowed it and moved up 6.6 percent soon after the announcement, in anticipation of a massive sales boost. Some of the pink papers which carry such 'news' must now do their due diligence and check how many Ola stores actually opened, and how they are performing.

Isn't it cheeky a company facing thousands of complaints from Ola scooter buyers, and unable to provide maintenance services to its existing customers, wants to expand points of sales four-fold? Doesn't the company first need to explain and apologize for its existing non-functional after-sales network?

The National Consumer Helpline, managed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, has registered 10,644 complaints against Ola e-scooters from September 1, 2023, to August 30, 2024. In recent months social media has been agog with pictures and videos of lines of junked Ola e2Ws outside showrooms and service stations. Several videos of frustrated consumers - one setting fire to an Ola store, another destroying his vehicle in front of a showroom - went viral.

This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Kochi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Kochi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS KOCHIView All
The New Indian Express Kochi

KALEIDOSCOPIC REFLECTIONS OF BEAUTY, BANTER AND WOMANHOOD

The unassuming opening of Victoria puts us directly inside a bus that chugs along a routine route, carrying the titular Victoria (Meenakshi Jayan) and an old woman clutching a rooster, of all things.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Christopher Nolan's next titled The Odyssey

ACCLAIMED director Christopher Nolan is set to adapt Homer's ancient Greek epic poem The Odyssey into a feature film.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

My favourite books of the year

2024 was a fantastic bookish year for me. I completed two bucket list items: speaking at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January and opening an antiquarian bookstore in Bengaluru in November.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Deol's ton helps India seal series

HARLEEN DEOL'S maiden hundred set the foundation and India sealed the ODI series with a 115-run win over the West Indies.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Cranbrook to MCG, the rise and rise of teenager Konstas

ON the eve of New South Wales' first Sheffield Shield match of the season - against South Australia at Cricket Central in Sydney - Sam Konstas was sitting with his batting coach Tahmid Islam for dinner.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Shooting mental sport, don't know when award snub will affect Manu: Jaspal

DOUBLE Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finally broke her silence on her exclusion from Khel Ratna list.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Timely lift for Haryana shuttler

DEVIKA SIHAG is stoked at the moment. She had a valid reason to be.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

India to play matches in Dubai, Pak tie on Feb 23

FINALLY, the International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the much-awaited schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

Excited with pack of pacers in SA20

WITH the third edition of the SA20 coming soon, the Ambassador of the franchise league and former South African fast bowler Allan Donald believes the new crop of pace bowlers coming from his home country are the ones to watch out for.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024
The New Indian Express Kochi

HFCL defence equipment mfg unit in Hosur

HFCL Limited, a leading telecom equipment maker, on Tuesday inaugurated a state-of-the-art defence equipment manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

time-read
1 min  |
December 25, 2024