RTO to launch dial-an-auto service that will make rickshaws available round-the-clock
RTO to launch dial-an-auto service that will make rickshaws available round-the-clock
The Regional Transport Office may soon launch the round-the-clock Dial-an-Auto service ufffd started by IITian Mukesh Jha ufffd on a larger scale. This means no more endless wait, especially at odd hours in the night, to get an autorickshaw.
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| Making travelling easy: The fares for dial-an-auto service would be marginally higher than normal rickshaw charges. Representation pic |
Deputy Regional Transport Officer Sanjay Dhaygude told MiD DAY the proposal would be systematically evaluated by the authority and the service introduced after consulting autorickshaw unions and working out certain other modalities. Ubida Solutions Pvt Ltd had introduced the scheme last year in April as a pilot and experimental project which ended in December.
"Initially we started with 30 rickshaws to which 100 more were being added every month. Our main aim was not to increase the number of calls, but to provide satisfactory services to commuters who cannot find transport, particularly late in the night," said Jha, director and co-founder of the organisation. "We stopped the scheme in December to work out a more systematic model for the service to function. The proposal being prepared by Ubida will be submitted within three days to the transport authority after which internal meetings will take place with various authorities. With 400 to 500 autorickshaws expected to join the scheme, about 4,000 to 5,000 commuters could be served everyday."
Jha also said that they would propose a different fare chart for the service to the RTO, as the cost of operating the call centre would have to be recovered.u00a0
"Rickshaw drivers often have to go back without any fare after they drop a passenger. Therefore, we will prepare a fare chart that will include both the compensatory charges as well as operational costs for the call centre. The fares would be marginally higher," he said.
Chandrakant Kharatmal, an RTO officer, said the scheme was being seriously considered by the authority and if finalised, would start in the next two to three months. "We will read the proposal forwarded by the firm and take a decision. We will ensure that the service begins at the earliest," said Kharatmal.
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When asked if the RTO would prepare a different fare chart for the service, Kharatmal said since dedicated infrastructure like call centres were required, fares would have to be set accordingly to cover the costs. "We will however evaluate various options and take a final call," he said.
