In a bid to improve the facilities for commuters, the City Police are planning to open more prepaid auto counters at major junctions in the city. The new counters will start functioning soon.
The City Police have taken up the project along with the Traffic Police wing and the City Corporation following the success of all the four autorickshaw prepaid counters opened so far, while a fifth counter is all set to start at General Hospital Junction.
“The project will certainly be a hit in the city as many drivers from outside the city limits ply here and fleece passengers. The counters will generate enough revenue to pay the volunteers and traffic wardens posted for duty. As of now, in all other counters, the staff are paid by the City Corporation,” said Control Room Assistant Commissioner P Bijoy.
The major junctions that are to be included in the project are Palayam, Statue and other places where a large number of people pass through daily and where numerous offices are located. Discussions will be held with the auto drivers before finalising the project.
If things go as planned, the space to house the prepaid counters will be sponsored by individual agencies. Like the other counters functioning in the city, in the forthcoming counters too the Corporation will install the computers and other equipment. All the new counters will be jointly monitored by the civic body and the Traffic Police.
After installing counters, the expenses for the maintenance of equipment and salaries of the traffic wardens will be met by revenue from the City Corporation. The prepaid counters levy a fee of Re 1 from each passenger for availing of the service.
The extension of the prepaid auto network would be taken up by the traffic advisory committee. As decided by the committee, like in the other counters, here too 10 per cent of the total amount collected will be for the welfare of drivers and the rest for the improvement of travellers’ facilities.