Via.com partners with 7 state corporations

Bengaluru-based OTA, Via.com has partnered with seven state-operated corporation buses to offer real-time online booking on its agents’ outlets, its website and mobile App for a range of State Road Transport Corporation bus services. Currently, it has tied up with seven state corporations, including Gujarat, J&K, Odisha, Punjab, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Goa. With this move, Via.com is expecting an increase of 30 per cent in its overall bus bookings by the next quarter. Currently, VIA sells bus tickets worth of Rs 10 crore every month. To increase its presence in the land transport sector, the company is also looking at tying up with other state-run bus operators, including Himachal Pradesh, Rajashtan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharastra in the near future. Apart from the state-run buses, Via.com offers bookings across categories such as Volvo, air-conditioned, non-air-conditioned, deluxe, semi deluxe, sleeper and semi sleeper buses. VIA will offer competitive prices on bus tickets through over 5,000 bus operators and more than 75,000 routes across India, the company said. Swaminathan Vedaranyam, Chief Executive Officer, VIA said, “We are seeking to strengthen our portfolio of offerings and ensure that we remain the one-stop shop for travel solutions. With this integration, we aim to open this channel for a section of travellers who are loyal to state-run buses to make life hassle-free and easier for them.” The ticket prices for most routes range from Rs 650-1500. From April-July 2015 to April-July 2016, the growth in terms of sale bookings from the bus segment has grown 3X on Via.com, the CEO added.