Bhubaneswar, Feb 27: OLA cab service that has a mobile-based application for public transportation made a debut in the capital city on Thursday. With this mobile app transport service, city residents would be able to book a cab at the click of a button and also track its location in real time through their smart phones.

Customers can book the cabs by downloading the free OLA application for Android, iOS and Windows mobile phones. The app can be downloaded from www.ola.bz/b. Customers can also avail the cab service by simply calling 0674-3355335.

OLA Sedan which includes vehicles such as Mahindra Logan, Maruti Swift DZire and Maruti Suzuki SX4 are available at Rs 49 for first two kilometres and will be charged Rs 15 per additional kilometre after that.

Similarly, OLA mini which includes vehicles such as Maruti Wagon R, Tata Indica and Nissan Micra can be booked by paying Rs 49 for the first two kilometres and would be charged Rs 12 per additional kilometre after that.

After booking, a customer would be provided with details such as the cab driver's name and phone number.

The user can also share a link through SMS with friends and family for them to track the location of the cab in real-time. An SOS button has also been introduced in the app to make it user-friendly and ensure further safety for the riders. The cab facility is available 24x7.

In the first phase, as many as 250 cabs were signed up in Bhubaneswar and the officials said the number of cabs would be increased to 750 in the next six months.

'A major chunk of the working population in the city belongs to the IT and business sectors and our mission is to create a reliable and efficient transportation in the city. We are confident about revolutionising the personal transportation experience in the city,' said senior manager Ola, Piyush Gupta. He also said that they are planning to expand the service to Cuttack and Rourkela soon.

The officials also said OLA has signed up with licensed and verified drivers in the city to provide safety to customers.