Commuters arriving at Thane railway station can now use a prepaid auto-rickshaw service designed to provide confirmed rides, transparent fares and an alternative to common complaints such as refusals and overcharging.
The Thane transport department launched the facility on Monday, with operations beginning from a dedicated counter located beneath the station’s SATIS structure. Passengers can approach the counter, provide their destination and pay the applicable fare in advance. The details will then be communicated to a registered auto-rickshaw driver waiting in the designated queue.
The assigned driver will collect the passenger without negotiating the fare or destination, helping remove some of the frequent points of disagreement between commuters and auto drivers, BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare and MLA Sanjay Kelkar said. They also thanked Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik for approving the initiative.
Deputy RTO, Thane, Rohit Katkar said the proposal had remained under consideration for nearly two years before receiving approval after various administrative and technical issues were addressed. Fare refusal, particularly for short-distance journeys, has been among the recurring grievances reported by passengers.
“Since auto drivers rely on their daily income, necessary changes were made to the system after seeking approval from the transport authority, due to which the amount will be transferred to their account before the day ends. A roughly 20% premium will be charged to passenger and will be passed on to the driver as an incentive to encourage more to latch on to the concept,” he said.
Under the new arrangement, passengers will be informed of the fare before starting their journey, reducing uncertainty and the possibility of disputes. The service is initially being positioned as a safer and more organised transport option from Thane station.
Davkhare said the entire operation will be planned and managed through Cityflo. Around 100 auto drivers have already enrolled, while authorities expect participation to increase as more commuters use the facility.
A similar prepaid arrangement had previously operated in Thane and at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, but was later discontinued.
Source: Times of India
