Cuttack, May 5: Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police have decided to launch a pre-paid taxi service from Badamabadi bus terminal shortly.

Senior officials said the traffic management committee had agreed to start the much-awaited service from June. The groundwork is being prepared.

“We have decided to start the pre-paid taxi service from Badamabadi bus terminal from next month. This was finalised at a high-level meeting of the traffic management committee held on April 27,” said traffic management committee member Pravat Das.

Das said the prepaid taxi service would cater to the requirements of passengers travelling at night. Eventually, the service would be available from 8pm to 6pm.

The service will come to the rescue of hundreds of passengers who face problems in finding alternative transport from the Badambadi bus terminal.

“We usually have to wait till daybreak to travel to remote areas such as Choudwar and Salepur,” said Umakant Sahu, a passenger.

The new service will ensure the safety of passengers, especially women, as records of the drivers will be maintained and identity cards would be issued to them.

Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police sources said that at present, more than 1,000 autorickshaws ferry passengers from Badambadi bus terminal.

They too will be screened and allowed to operate the prepaid taxi and autorickshaw service from the busy bus terminal.

More than 50 taxi operators and drivers have been identified for the service.

They will be trained and issued necessary documents to start the prepaid taxi service, which would be the first of its kind in the city.

The antecedents of the drivers will be checked thoroughly before selecting them.

A final decision regarding the fares would be taken after a discussion with the authorities of the regional transport authorities with the next 15 days.

The Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police introduced a prepaid autorickshaw system from the railway station in 2011. More than 120 autorickshaws ferry passengers to different parts of the city, which has been divided into 22 zones.

“The prepaid taxi system will certainly help passengers as they were facing problems in travelling to Choudwar, Tangi, Salepur and other areas from Cuttack,” said Shakti Prasad Swain, a commuter.