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BluSmart drivers face uncertainty amid company troubles, founder issues

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
BluSmart drivers face uncertainty amid company troubles, founder issues
Medial

BluSmart suspended its operations in April in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru, asking its 10,000 driver-partners to return their vehicles. The move has left several drivers scrambling to find new sources of income. Rajesh [name changed], a 35-year-old man in Gurugram, secured a driving job with a heavily VC-funded electric vehicle cab hailing company which once aimed to take on the duopoly of Ola Cabs and Uber in India. An average income of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per month, Rajesh admits, was not much for his family but managed to pay bills. Though, Rajesh, who also is a father of two young children, put in 10 hours to 12 hours daily - to reach the estimated monthly income. With his company now pausing the services, Rajesh has no source of earning, and does not know how he will pay his kids’ education fees. "... Now, I don’t know how I’ll manage. I missed my kids' school fees this month. My family depends on me, and I’ve never felt so helpless,” a visibly stressed Rajesh told Entrackr. One of the things that is agonising Rajesh the most is the deceptive way his employer pushed them out. “On Wednesday (April 16th), we [drivers] received a message saying the car needed to be submitted to the hub for a breakdown. We thought it was just a minor technical issue. When we got there, they told us it was a failure and we’d be informed later. But there was no word from the company after that. We just had to go home. We were left in complete shock," says Rajesh as his voice strains, reliving the fateful moment. Rajesh says he was among the first lot of employees, when the company had just 50 cars. Like many others, he too bought the company’s promise of stability. “Now, it feels like we’ve been left out to dry,” he said. “I’m considering working with Uber or Ola… I’m looking for something else, maybe a different field altogether. But BluSmart was my livelihood, and I’d go back in a heartbeat if they reopened. It was my only source of income,” he added. Rajesh’s story resonates with another thousands of drivers who are now scrambling to find new sources of income after BluSmart’s sudden suspension of its services. Entrackr has reached out to BluSmart seeking responses on how they plan to compensate the affected drivers. In case they respond, we will incorporate their inputs. Staging the protest On May 4, a group of BluSmart drivers raised their grievances at Jantar Mantar, a historic site for protests. They pressed for demands for alternative income avenues as well as called for crucial policy reforms to prevent similar abrupt dismissals. Additionally, they also sought a government intervention. Tajinder Singh, president of Parivahan Morcha Athavale and also among those spearheading the protest, told Entrackr that women drivers of BluSmart were among those bearing the brunt the most as other taxi companies refused to recruit them. He further said that some drivers were working on a per day basis as and when required but asserted that this was not a long-term solution. “We are demanding compensation for affected BluSmart drivers. We have also sought government intervention so that the drivers can continue to earn their livelihood,” Singh said. Singh also claimed that hundreds of BluSmart employees working at charging hubs were affected by the company’s sudden suspension of its services. A business model that promised to be different than rivals Even as ‘sustainability’ remained the headline grabber, BluSmart also deployed a rather different business model compared to rivals Ola Cabs and Uber. The company used a full-stack B2C model wherein they owned and managed the vehicles whereas Ola and Uber work with independent drivers. The model allowed BluSmart to have a better control on the quality of cars, maintenance, and subsequently better customer service. For drivers, the company offered a fixed salary along with incentives. An assured income was a big factor why a lot of drivers showed interest in joining BluSmart. Ola and Uber, on the other hand, operated on a familiar commission-based system, also common with several gig working-reliant service providers. Singh also highlighted this stark difference between BluSmart and its rivals. He said that the job of driver was to pick and drop the passenger and earn a regular income (per day payout and incentives). They needed to work 10 hours to 12 hours a day. Other things like maintenance and documentation was taken care of by the company, giving drivers a more relaxed environment to operate. Blusmart has raised over $180 million to date, including its $50 million series B round in January this year. Though, it received only Rs 61 crore out of $50 million. That said, a heavily-funded BluSmart juggernaut appeared unstoppable, until it did. Earlier this year, reports emerged that BluSmart delayed salary payments to cash crunch. It had also shut down operations in Dubai and also saw an exodus of top management employees, including CEO, CBO, and CTO. A month later, SEBI published findings of its probe into Gensol Engineering, BluSmart’s partner and EV lessor. The SEBI order highlighted misuse of funds, and also barred promoters Anmol and Puneet Singh Jaggi from accessing the securities market and holding key positions in Gensol Engineering. What next for BluSmart drivers BluSmart drivers facing joblessness due to the shutdown can go for legal remedy and urgently demand clearance of any unpaid dues and better severance compensation, if not given already. The legal course, which may take a relatively long time, may also help them investigate if BluSmart violated the contract by sudden halting of their services and returning vehicles. Moreover, they can also seek intervention from regulatory boards. Singh, however, did not appear enthusiastic about taking the legal course. “Companies like these make such contracts that they keep them protected in such incidents and don’t have to own any responsibility towards people working so hard for them,” he said [loosely translated from Hindi]. As far as the future of the company goes, it’s hard to predict considering the massive VC money riding on the company. Despite the major dent in public image and also several legal troubles, it’s likely that the company may stay afloat with a rather new management and new board - a few known steps troubled companies often take to course correct. It’s worth noting that quality of drivers and cabs were the top highlight of the platform, and if it resumes, it should continue with that. With the ongoing protests and lack of communication between drivers and management, it seems unlikely that the company will enjoy the same level of trust from its network drivers.

NCLT Ahmedabad initiates insolvency proceedings against BluSmart

EntrackrEntrackr · 2m ago
NCLT Ahmedabad initiates insolvency proceedings against BluSmart
Medial

NCLT Ahmedabad initiates insolvency proceedings against BluSmart BluSmart Mobility, the electric vehicle ride-hailing startup, has been admitted into insolvency proceedings by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Ahmedabad, following a creditor petition filed by Catalyst Trusteeship. The tribunal’s order, delivered on July 28, comes as a blow to BluSmart and adds to the growing turbulence faced by the Gurugram-based company. According to tribunal records reviewed by Entrackr, the insolvency process was initiated after BluSmart defaulted on servicing its Rs 15 crore debt raised through 15 secured, redeemable non-convertible debentures (NCDs) issued in April 2023. Catalyst Trusteeship, acting as debenture trustee for InCred Credit Opportunities Fund-I, pointed out that BluSmart was required to redeem the NCDs in equal principal installments. However, repayments were delayed and the company ultimately defaulted on payments totaling over Rs 1.28 crore for the March and April 2025 installments, which breached the Rs 1 crore threshold for triggering action under India’s insolvency law. BluSmart’s counsel tried to defend the company, claiming payment delays were temporary and due to commercial circumstances rather than a genuine inability to pay. The company also flagged procedural issues in the proceedings, including confusion over the dates of default and initial filing defects. Its representatives argued that the petition was a tactic for debt recovery, especially since a related interim regulatory order from SEBI had been issued against BluSmart’s group company, Gensol Engineering, and its promoters just weeks earlier. The NCLT, however, dismissed these objections after considering all evidence, including bank statements, board resolutions, official notices, and a key email from BluSmart’s founder on April 10, 2025, admitting the company’s liability. The bench noted that the existence of the debt and persistent defaults was beyond doubt, and technical objections could not override the substantive lack of payment. It further clarified that regulatory proceedings against related parties did not affect its assessment of the company’s own solvency position. The tribunal admitted the insolvency petition and appointed NPV Insolvency Professionals as the Interim Resolution Professional (IRP). It placed a moratorium prohibiting all legal and recovery actions against BluSmart and directed the IRP to take over management and invite claims from creditors while continuing to operate the ride-hailing business as a going concern through the resolution process. Creditors now have the opportunity to submit revival proposals, but in the absence of a workable plan, BluSmart could be headed for liquidation. BluSmart, once a promising EV ride-hailing startup, has already suspended operations across Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai since April 2025 after SEBI barred its founders over fund misuse allegations. Over 10,000 drivers were left jobless and unpaid, while customers are still waiting for wallet refunds despite the 90-day promise. The app remains non-functional, and lenders are now planning to sell off 1,500–2,000 EVs. New players like Evera Cabs are absorbing some of the fleet and drivers. Meanwhile, legal proceedings and a forensic audit are underway.

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