Pay Rs 3 more, get autorickshaw at your doorstep

Pay Rs 3 more, get autorickshaw at your doorstep
The Times of India

Bangalore: The much-talked ‘Easy Auto’ comes at an additional cost. Persons seeking to hire it will have to pay Rs 3 more than the metered fare.
This decision was taken by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) chaired by the Bangalore (urban) deputy commissioner M A Sadiq on Wednesday. RTA has cleared the proposal and worked out modalities. This proposal has been sent to the state government.
According to the proposal, if you want to hire ‘Easy Auto’ from your doorstep, enrol as a member with the operator after paying some fee and furnishing address-proof document. After this, call the operator who runs the service or send an SMS. For this, you have to spend at least one rupee.
Once the operator sends the auto to your doorstep, hire it and go to your destination.
Then pay Rs 3 more than the fare indicated in the meter to the driver. This additional sum will go to the operator who runs the ‘Easy Auto’ service.
Who can become an
operator?
There can be any number of operators like city taxi operators. Anybody who furnishes a bank guarantee for Rs 1 lakh and deposits Rs 5,000 with the RTA can be an operator. The operator should obtain a telephone connection.
Operator’s duties
After enrolling auto drivers, the operator should provide health insurance scheme to the driver and his family (minimum of Rs 1 lakh). Also provide two sets of uniform with name plate and a communication device to the driver.
This device will help the operator to find out the location of the auto driver and send him to the doorstep of the commuter. The operator should also pay Rs 1,500 to the auto driver every year as maintenance charges.
What about fresh
permits?
No fresh permits will be given to the operators for starting the service. The operator has to enrol existing auto drivers. The present black and lemon yellow colour of the autorickshaw will not be changed. The auto under the ‘Easy Auto’ service can put a small board.
Extra fare
Initially, RTA considered fixing Rs 4 above the fare. It was scaled down to Rs 3 after some autorickshaw unions opposed it stating it will be a burden on the commuters. Auto comes to the commuter’s doorstep and payment of additional Rs 3 should not matter, traffic police countered the auto unions. This move will reduce crimes involving auto drivers. Under this scheme, women, aged and weaker people can avail of the service without fear during day or night, DCP traffic (east) M A Saleem said.
HOW TO HIRE EASY AUTO
Enrol yourself as a member with the Easy Auto operator after furnishing address proof and payment of fee. Operator will give you identification number Call operator whenever auto is required.
Along with the fare indicated in the auto meter, pay Rs 3 more to the driver.