123Pune.com

PUNE: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has decided to revive its system of a prepaid auto rickshaw services at Shivajinangar, Swargate and
Pune Station ST stands. The RTA has also decided to have rickshaw stands at most chowks on Laxmi road.

The decision was announced at a meeting by the Pune internal transport committee on Thursday. The meeting was presided over by Manoj Patil, deputy commissioner of police (transport). Representatives of various transport organisations were present at the meeting.

Baba Shinde, member of the RTA said, “The prepaid booth service will be managed by ex-servicemen organisations and NGOs and it will be monitored by the traffic police. Tenders for this have been called. A service charge of Rs 1 for every auto rickshaw will be given to the managing organisation. In the first phase of the revival, the service will be implemented at Shivajinagar, Swargate and Pune Station.”

Stating that at present there were hardly any prepaid services, Shinde said, “The decision to revive the service has been taken considering its benefits to commuters”.

“Many places used to have prepaid services. However, they failed, largely due to mismanagement of the service,” Shinde said. “Now with separate organisations managing the services and being monitored by the traffic police, we hope things will improve,” he added.

The RTA has also decided upon places for rickshaw stands on Laxmi road, where auto rickshaws can halt. This will reduce the private traffic on the road. Of late, the road has been overburdened with private vehicles. Each chowk will have 3 to 5 stands.

Shinde said rickshaw drivers in the city would soon undergo awareness sessions. The sessions will be conducted by the traffic police and the RTO. The drive has been initiated considering the rising number of complaints against rickshaw drivers.
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