KOLKATA: The state government on Friday decided to rationalise and realign the auto routes from
Ultadanga on the basis of passenger demand so autos from a specific route cannot go to the another.
The idea was mooted at a meeting organised by consumer affairs department at Ultadanga. Presently, all Salt Lake-bound autos are sanctioned under one general route, which is Ultadanga – Salt Lake.
Salt Lake, however, is a vast area with multi-point destinations. “This is why route-rationalisation and realignment is necessary to bring some method in the madness,” said a senior
Bidhannagar police officer.
Cops and the transport department will count the number of autos plying between Ultadanga and Salt Lake and align them to specific routes on the basis of demand. By this logic, a major share of autos might be aligned to Sector V. which is now the second central business district (CBD).
Cops are also putting up signboard detailing the route and fare. “We have sought help from the transport department on the auto routes and the fare. We want the commuters to know the declared fare of their route,” said an officer. Significantly, the auto fare is not determined by the regional transport authority (RTA), but by the auto-unions. It is because auto runs in Kolkata as stage-carriage, while its nature in the motor vehicles act is of contract carriage.
At the meeting, state’s consumer affairs minister Sadhan Pandey warned the autooperators against misbehaving with commuters and requested commuters not to pay any extra money. “We will install complaint boxes in Ultadanga, Karunamoyee, Sector V and Gariahat, where a harassed commuter can file a complaint along with the registration number of the auto,” added Pandey.
Times View
It is heartening to see a government department focus on a problem that affects commuters. Hopefully, this will be the start of a sustained campaign.
Image used for representational purpose only
