Now, share-an-auto feeder service at metro stations in Pune

PUNE The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) Wednesday approved starting a ‘share an auto-rickshaw’ feeder service at 18 metro stations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Last week, the Pune RTO held a meeting with auto-rickshaw organisations to discuss the possibility of starting a ‘share an auto-rickshaw’ feeder service at operational metro stations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Accordingly, a proposal was submitted to the RTO and the same was approved Wednesday.

Sanjeev Bhor, Pune deputy regional transport officer, said, “At present, 18 out of the 20 metro stations are operational on the Vanaz to Ruby Hall Clinic and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Civil Court stretches. With the help of the traffic police, representatives of auto-rickshaw organisations, representatives of consumer forums, and officials from the Maha-Metro and RTO, we have identified routes involving the 18 metro stations.”

“Some metro stations have a minimum two routes while some have a maximum six routes. We have set a distance ranging from 1 kilometre to 9 kilometres depending on the routes and locations,” Bhor said.

As per the suggestions of the Khatua committee, the fare to any location increases by 30% if ‘share an auto-rickshaw’ services are initiated, with three passengers sharing the total fare. In any auto-rickshaw in the city, a maximum of three passengers can commute.

Meanwhile, Nitin Pawar, convenor of the Rickshaw Panchayat, said, “Employment generation is already decreasing. Therefore, it is a good option for the RTO to start the auto share service at metro stations. As the metro stations are located in the suburbs, the service will get good response. The auto share service will not get good response in the central parts of the city. In PCMC, auto share services have already started illegally at metro stations.”

Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Baghtoy Rickshawala, an auto-rickshaw union, said, “We have already given a positive response to the auto share service in the meeting. The concept is good but we are concerned about illegal auto services. At present, there is parking space for four to five auto-rickshaws at most metro stations. The metro authorities should deploy traffic wardens to prevent illegal auto services.”

The Maha-Metro and Pune RTO have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with private operators to provide reliable auto-rickshaw/e-cab and other feeder services at the metro stations. Following the inauguration of the extended metro routes, ridership of the Pune metro has increased and reached more than 30,000 daily. The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has already started its feeder bus service at some metro stations.