OlaBoats in Chennai: When a meme became a reality

Professional rowers and fishermen have been manning the boats and food and water is being provided for free.

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Though the incessant heavy rains that had been pounding Chennai for several days now has subsided, vast areas of the city still remain water logged with transportion having taken a bad hit.

Taxi-aggregator Ola has come up with a supercool initiative of ferrying citizens stuck in flooded areas in boats in the city.

Interestingly, memes on the Chennai floods too had a mention of Ola starting a boat service.

Twitter user V (@Dichykyaaon) tweeted to Ola,

To which OLA responded,

According to PTI, OLA in a statement said, "Ola deployed boats in waterlogged and partially submerged areas on the basis of information from the Fire and Rescue department."

Professional rowers and fishermen have been manning the boats and food and water is being provided for free. The boats have a capacity of 5 to 9 people and has enough umbrellas for everyone. The statement also specified that the boat service would continue for the next three days, and will be extended if water logging continues.

Meanwhile, Ola's initiative has been garnering praises from the social media.

So #OlaBoat is out and rescuing ppl. @Olacabs hats off for your support. #chennairains — Anuraag D Jain (@anuraagdjain) November 17, 2015

Only in India can you need a boat service in an urban area during rains! Strong work improvising for the situation w/ #OlaBoat (..+good PR) — Arps (@paediatrix) November 17, 2015

Love the way @Olacabs is going that extra mile with #OLABoat to rescue people. Hats off to you guys. #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/yuFoh3XS2a — Sanket B Mehta (@sanketbmehta) November 17, 2015

Its not a joke anymore , @Olacabs have sent a boat to rescue people. #OlaBoat pic.twitter.com/Do4ai9pUNM — Sathyan KM (@hellosathyan) November 17, 2015