The Hindu

MANGALORE, Apr 9: When introduced with much fanfare in September 2005, the pre-paid autorickshaw system was seen as a blessing to the people who depended on this mode of public transport in the city. However, the system derailed within two months of its introduction.

Regional Transport Officer D. Sadashiva attributes this to a mixture of official apathy and disinclination on the part of autorickshaw drivers. Drivers blame it on what they termed unrealistic fares.

Based on similar system at the KSRTC bus station and the City and Cantonment railway stations in Bangalore, the pre-paid autorickshaw system was introduced simultaneously at the Mangalore railway station and the KSRTC bus station at Bejai with a view to help passengers.

A major reason for the failure of this system was lack of facilities for personnel manning the pre-paid counters. In addition, differences between passengers and drivers over the destination used to crop up on many occasions.

This issue found an echo at a recent meeting convened by the Regional Transport Authority to discuss a demand by autorickshaw unions for an increase in fares. Auto drivers were of the opinion that passengers wanted them to go further than the stated destination. As a result the pre-paid fare used to be less than the actual fare.

The Dakshina Kannada District Autorickshaw Association told the RTO that they received little or no cooperation from the railway authorities.

The unions urged the railway authorities to exempt autorickshaws operating under the pre-paid system from paying the daily parking fee of Rs. 5.

They sought round-the-clock presence of traffic policemen at pre-paid counter to prevent the harassment of those manning the counter. They demanded a railing on the road leading up to the station to facilitate orderly parking of autorickshaws.

Another reason cited for the failure of the system was the lack of adequate income from the ticket fee to pay a salary of Rs. 3,000 each for the three people manning the pre-paid counters in shifts. A cap on issuing new autorickshaw permits within the corporation limits since 1997 has created a situation where there are fewer number of autorickshaws for the large number of people needing them.