Prepaid autorickshaw stands to come up at three locations in Pune
Traffic police have decided to reopen the pre-paid autorickshaw stand at Pune railway station as well as two others at Swargate and Wakdewadi bus stops
As autorickshaw drivers are charging high fares, traffic police have decided to reopen the pre-paid autorickshaw stand at Pune railway station as well as two others at Swargate and Wakdewadi bus stops, respectively.
Commuters say, autorickshaw drivers not only charge high fares, but they also refuse a ride if it is a short distance and often misbehave.
On Saturday, HT reporter observed that the autorickshaws which were standing near Pune railway station were charging a double fare.
From Pune station to Kumthekar road, the autorickshaw driver asked the commuter to pay ₹120. However, the actual fare is around ₹70.
Sumit Khole, autorickshaw driver, said, “Not all the autorickshaws charge extra rates at the Pune railway station. Few try to loot the customers, especially customers who are outsiders. The meter rate should be followed strictly by all the autorickshaw drivers.”
The prepaid autorickshaw stand was launched at Pune railway station in 2019. After Covid break, the prepaid booth was restarted in September 2021. However, on March 29, 2022, it was closed again.
Manoj Jhawar, Pune railway division spokesperson, said, “The booth will restart soon.”
Deputy commissioner of traffic police Vijay Kumar Magar has demanded to start pre-paid autorickshaw stands at crowded places in the city.
“In the next 15 days, the prepaid autorickshaw stand will be restarting at Pune railway station and it will also start at two other places – Swargate bust stand and Wakdewadi ST bus stand. People are demanding these types of facilities as many autorickshaw drivers are charging random rates,” said Magar.
If prepaid autorickshaw stands receive a good response, then Pune traffic police will plan to open prepaid taxi stands at other crowded places in the city.
Yusuf Khan, autorickshaw driver from Pune railway station said, “Once the prepaid stand restarts, the driver will not charge extra.”
Piyush Kondadeshmukh, a resident of Fatima Nagar, said, “Most autorickshaws standing outside the railway station run without a meter. Police should take action against them. I was charged ₹400 from Pune railway station to Fatima Nagar.”