The pre-paid scheme at railway stations in the city has virtually collapsed, as the autowallas prefer making a fast buck and giving the much-hyped scheme a go by. Passengers have a harrowing time, as autowallas are reluctant to go by the pre-paid coupons.
“We don’t earn enough profit in pre-paid it is better if we get customers by our own,” said Akhlakh, an autowalla at Paharganj.
Autowallas ask for Rs 10 to 20 extra over the pre-paid coupons to provide instant service. Passengers with their luggage, who refuse to pay the extra amount, have to chase autos.
“I have to go to Munirka and I have taken the pre-paid coupon 45 minutes ago but no one inside is ready to go. Even the traffic police are looking helpless,” said Seema, who came from Lucknow.
The cops at the station, however, remain helpless spectators, while trying to help passengers. “I am helpless. No autowalla listens. There is a strong union. If I say something to one autowalla then another ten will come to me (physical assault). I don’t want to get indulge in this mess and if you dare then you can go. No senior officer comes here,” said constable Kishan Singh at Paharganj.
A senior citizen couple from Amritsar said, “These autowallas are ready to fight for any thing. You can see that we are sweating in this sun for more than 35 minutes, but there is no body to help us.”
Even visually challenged Rameshwar from Aligarh had to wait for 40 minutes after taking a pre-paid coupon. He even asked the pre-paid booth officers to refund his coupon, but he was sent to the traffic police in charge.
The staffs at pre-paid ticket maintain that it’s not their duty to check if passengers actually get an auto or not. “More than 250 trains come to New Delhi railway station. Each hour we have two trains reaching the station and hardly 50 to 60 autos are present at a time, so, how will they fulfil the need of the passengers,” said Nazim, pre-paid booth officers.
No taxis
The state of affairs is even worse for passengers, especially foreigners, seeking taxis. There is no service for pre-paid taxis. It was due to the demand by taxi drivers to increase the fare similar to the one they get at the airport. “The taxis drivers want fare equal to what they get from customers at the airport. The situation is very bad. Something needs to be done,” Nazim added.
“We don’t earn enough profit in pre-paid it is better if we get customers by our own,” said Akhlakh, an autowalla at Paharganj.
Autowallas ask for Rs 10 to 20 extra over the pre-paid coupons to provide instant service. Passengers with their luggage, who refuse to pay the extra amount, have to chase autos.
“I have to go to Munirka and I have taken the pre-paid coupon 45 minutes ago but no one inside is ready to go. Even the traffic police are looking helpless,” said Seema, who came from Lucknow.
The cops at the station, however, remain helpless spectators, while trying to help passengers. “I am helpless. No autowalla listens. There is a strong union. If I say something to one autowalla then another ten will come to me (physical assault). I don’t want to get indulge in this mess and if you dare then you can go. No senior officer comes here,” said constable Kishan Singh at Paharganj.
A senior citizen couple from Amritsar said, “These autowallas are ready to fight for any thing. You can see that we are sweating in this sun for more than 35 minutes, but there is no body to help us.”
Even visually challenged Rameshwar from Aligarh had to wait for 40 minutes after taking a pre-paid coupon. He even asked the pre-paid booth officers to refund his coupon, but he was sent to the traffic police in charge.
The staffs at pre-paid ticket maintain that it’s not their duty to check if passengers actually get an auto or not. “More than 250 trains come to New Delhi railway station. Each hour we have two trains reaching the station and hardly 50 to 60 autos are present at a time, so, how will they fulfil the need of the passengers,” said Nazim, pre-paid booth officers.
No taxis
The state of affairs is even worse for passengers, especially foreigners, seeking taxis. There is no service for pre-paid taxis. It was due to the demand by taxi drivers to increase the fare similar to the one they get at the airport. “The taxis drivers want fare equal to what they get from customers at the airport. The situation is very bad. Something needs to be done,” Nazim added.
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