The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Pre-paid auto service launched at Koyambedu bus stand

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Pre-paid auto service launched at Koyambedu bus stand

Staff Reporter

Close to 250 autos are part of the system

— Photo: K. Pichumani

New service: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru issuing a coupon after launching the pre-paid autorickshaw service at the Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus in Koyambedu on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru on Tuesday launched a pre-paid autorickshaw service at the Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus in Koyambedu.

A counter where the pre-paid tickets would be issued was also opened at the terminal hall of CMBT. The launch follows the pleas for over a year now from autorickshaw driver’s unions to introduce such a service.

Mr.Nehru said more than seven lakh passengers visit CMBT every day and the pre-paid service would be useful to them. He said a similar service introduced at Chennai Central Railway Station was received well. Similar service would soon be launched at Chennai airport and Madurai railway station and bus stand.

As of now, close to 250 autorickshaws were part of the pre-paid system at Koyambedu. The stand is near the main terminal hall. The fare charged will be one-and-a-half times that of the regular fare.

Members of the auto driver’s unions thanked the Minister for responding to their demands. R.Subramanian of the Pattali Auto Driver’s Association said the pre-paid system is a boon both to the autorickshaw drivers and passengers as there is no room for haggling. He complained that autorickshaw drivers were being regularly harassed by police officers for ‘mamool’ (bribe). Such practices would come to an end with the launch of the system.

Mr.Nehru was accompanied by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority chairman and Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, Transport Commissioner C.P. Singh and Deputy Speaker V.P. Duraisamy.

Mr.Nehru urged all the drivers to use meters. He said compared to other south Indian States, the minimum fare for autorickshaw was highest in Tamil Nadu at the current Rs.14.

He said the passenger load on Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses had gone up by 5 lakh a day compared to last year. This, he said, meant more and more people were using bus services because it was cheaper.

If autorickshaw drivers did not resort to overpricing and charged fares as per the meter, more people would start using autorickshaws, he said. “This will improve your earnings and you can compete with the public transport services,” Mr. Nehru said. The Minister said if the drivers used the meters without fail he would even consider cutting down public transport services so they may attract more passengers.

Autorickshaw drivers, however, told The Hindu that Rs.14 was not enough as fuel prices have gone up since the last fare revision. They demanded that the minimum fare be revised to Rs.20. For every km from then on, Rs.10 could be charged, they added.

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