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| Police commissioner RP Sharma inaugurates prepaid auto service at Badambadi and (below) an autorickshaw driver shows the new fare chart in Cuttack on Friday. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das |
Cuttack, May 30: Police have now extended the prepaid autorickshaw service from Badamabadi as part of its ongoing measures to check harassment of passengers.
Police commissioner R.P. Sharma inaugurated the second phase of the prepaid auto service from Badambadi bus stand here today.
The autorickshaws will operate from 10pm to 6am.
“We extended the prepaid auto service from Badambadi today. Besides, there are plans to introduce a similar service from Sishu Bhavan and SCB Medical College and Hospital shortly,” said Sharma, adding that the new service from Badambadi would benefit passengers reaching Cuttack at odd hours.
A senior official said that, for now, the prepaid auto service from Badambadi had been made operational with 10 autorickshaws. This number would be increased after reviewing the response.
The prepaid service was inaugurated for the first time in the state from Cuttack railway station in 2011. An official of the regional transport office said the prepaid auto service had been launched with assistance from the police, auto association and the state transport department.
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“We are planning to involve various private players, so that the services of the prepaid auto can be enhanced and the passengers can get the facility round the clock,” said regional transport officer Diptiranjan Patra.
Patra said a detailed plan to extend the prepaid auto service round the clock was being prepared.
The city has been divided into 25 zones for better management of the prepaid auto service, and a passenger has to pay Rs 30 to travel 5km. The maximum fare has been fixed at Rs 120.
“We are happy that the cops have extended the prepaid auto service to Badambadi. We hope that passengers from various parts of the state will benefit from this,” said Sidhart Prasad Das, a commuter.
Das said the autorickshaws usually charged around Rs 150 for 10km at night, and this was creating trouble for the passengers.
However, a lot of passengers have demanded revision of fares, especially to Palamandap, Rajabagicha, Bajrakabati and Khannagar areas, because one has to pay between Rs 30 and Rs 50 for a distance of less than 4km.
“We will meet senior police officials shortly to revise the rates, because we feel it is exorbitant,” said Chitaranjan Biswal, another commuter.