HTClassifieds. com will no longer remain the “Official Hindustan Times Classifieds on the Web” – it will give way to a newly-launched free online classifieds website called AskHT! The former site will, in due course, get redirected to the new one!

Despite the big plus that Ask HT, powered by OLX Classifieds, will feature city-wise listings of classifieds in both English as well as Hindi; the announced launch indicates that there would apparently be conflicting interests at work.

With AskHT. com also featuring job listings, the site would have common characteristics with Shine. com, which is being managed by the HT Media ancillary named FireFly e-Ventures. Shine happens to be the job classifieds trademark of HT Media, and has been the main recipient of the Rs. 35 crores HT Media investment in FireFly e-Ventures.

What is perplexing to comprehend in the entire new site launch scenario is that while the terms and conditions for Shine designate it as a Firefly e-Ventures website, those of AskHT indicate it to an HT Media site!

Moreover, when HT is already in the process of launching classified verticals online - Jobs, Real Estate, Matrimonial etc – what then could be the possible rationale behind the launch of a free general classifieds site to compete with the existing segments - may be the Firefly head, Amit Garg, could clarify! (With inputs from Rupinder)