Bhubaneswar, March 22: The prepaid autorickshaw service was launched here much to the delight of passengers who have been demanding the facility for quite sometime.

In the initial phase, the service has been launched at three places - railway station, Baramunda bus terminal and the KIIT Square.

While in the initial phase, 130 autorickshaws will ply from the railway station, 70 and 100 would operate from KIIT Square and the Baramunda bus terminal, respectively.

The transport department has fixed two different fare structures for day and night. While passengers need to pay the base fare of Rs 30 for two kilometres for hiring an autorickshaw between 5am and 10pm, for the same distance they would have to shell out Rs 50 between 10pm and 5am.

In addition to the base fare passengers will have to pay Rs 10 for every extra km travelled during daytime.

"Passengers need to pay 30 per cent more for each km between 10pm and 5am. Besides, we will charge additional Rs 2 per trip, which would be used for development of autorickshaw operators such as construction of resting place and their insurance," said regional transport officer Bhuban-eswar II, S.K. Behera.

Passengers travelling a distance beyond 20km would be charged Rs 8 per km.

Authorities said in future the service would be extended to the airport.

"Earlier, we had planned to launch the service from the airport, but the authorities are yet to allot space to set up parking lot and a counter. Once they provide us the same, we will extend the service from the airport," said a transport official.

Tourism and culture minister Ashok Panda inaugurated the service in the presence of director general of police Sanjeev Marik, police commissioner R.P. Sharma and members of autorickshaw association.

"The service would definitely help residents, especially those who have to go to the railway station every day. The state government would also extend the service to other important locations in the city including tourist places," said Panda.

The fares would be displayed on a board at the counters. Police personnel would manage the counters, which would remain open 24X7. The passengers will first have to pay the amount and collect a receipt from the counter before boarding an auto. After taking the drop, he or she will hand over the receipt to the driver, who in turn will submit it to the counter and take the payment for the trip.

"This would also ensure the safety of passengers as the police would verify the antecedent of autorickshaw operators included in the service," said the police commissioner.

Police personnel, along with the members of autorickshaw association, would manage the counters. "We are happy that the service is finally launched today. We are also planning to introduce special uniform for the drivers for prepaid service," said general secretary of Bhubaneswar Autorickshaw Mahasangha, Padman Kumar Samal.