Auhona Roy Chowdhury, Pune
Amazon India has launched its first-ever floating store on Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir. This innovative initiative is part of Amazon’s “I Have Space” last-mile delivery program, which was introduced in 2015 and currently involves around 28,000 neighborhood and Kirana partners in about 420 towns and cities throughout India.
Amazon shared the news on its official Twitter account, showcasing an image of the floating store and stating, “We have onboarded the first ever floating ‘I Have Space’ Store on the Dal Lake, Srinagar. With this store, we will further expand our delivery network while enabling small businesses to earn additional income.”
The owner of the houseboat “Selec Town,” Murtaza Khan Kashi, will take charge of delivering packages to customers each day. Murtaza, who primarily operates the houseboat as a seasonal business catering to tourists in Srinagar, expressed that managing the houseboat incurs high costs, making it challenging for his family. Seeking additional income opportunities, he decided to participate in Amazon’s “I Have Space” program.
According to Karuna Shankar Pande, Director of Amazon Logistics India, this new floating store will facilitate faster and more reliable deliveries to customers across Srinagar. Additionally, it will offer valuable opportunities to small businesses and further strengthen Amazon’s delivery network. He stated, “We are thrilled to onboard India’s first floating ‘I Have Space’ store on Dal Lake, Srinagar.
This will enable us to provide customers across Dal Lake and Nigeen Lake with reliable, efficient, and fast deliveries.” Overall, Amazon’s floating store on Dal Lake signifies a remarkable step towards expanding its delivery capabilities while supporting local businesses in the picturesque region of Srinagar, Kashmir.