Preparations are on full swing for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games to be held in 2010. During that time autos will be just a call away. Moreover the autos are being upgraded so that the passengers can swipe their credit cards for making payment as the renovated autos will be equipped with many facilities, including newspapers and water bottles, for the comfort and safety of passengers.
Auto rickshaw popularly known as “common man's radio taxi", the Urban Development Ministry as a pilot project, first of its kind in the country, equipping auto rickshaws with GPS-based systems is launching in Pune on November 29.
Under this project, the commuters can call a control room or send SMS for hiring autos and they will get a receipt after paying the prescribed fare.
"The project aims to provide safer last mile connectivity to passengers. Many cities including Delhi have shown interest in the project," Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran told PTI.
The Urban Development Ministry is having discussions with different states as part of the national urban transport policy to offer better and comfortable mode of transportation to commuters.
In view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the Ministry is having talks with the Delhi government for the introduction of GPS-based auto rickshaws in the capital before October 2010.
While explaining the salient features of the project, Ramachandran said, "This is a scientific management of auto rickshaws. Since the movement of autos will be monitored by the control room and there will be very little scope of overcharging by drivers, the scheme will be beneficial for commuters especially for elderly and women."
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