Bengaluru has an estimated 1.5 lakh auto-rickshaws.
Credit: DH File Photo/Pushkar V
Metro Mitra, an initiative to provide short-distance (5 km radius) auto rides to and from metro stations, is training women to join the fleet. Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU), which is behind the initiative, has identified 25 women for the 14-day training. Some of them were earlier selling milk and vegetables. “After the training, we will help them get their driving licence and bank loans to buy an auto rickshaw,” shares Pattabhi Rama P L, ARDU’s organising secretary.
Metro Mitra is undergoing tests at the Jayanagar and R V Road stations. It will debut there before August ends, he says. Two high-density metro stations will be added every month depending on demand. The women drivers will operate at the Nagasandra station, which is closer to their residence.
“Jayanagar and R V Road metro stations see a footfall of 5,000-6,000 commuters a day. There are tech parks, colleges, hospitals and universities around,” says Pattabhi explaining why they chose these stations for the launch. The first- and last-mile connectivity is a pain point in Bengaluru. On the one hand, auto drivers refuse rides due to high fuel costs and heavy traffic, and, on the other hand, the fare for app-based cabs is exorbitant.
Twenty autorickshaw drivers are part of the pilot and they will also undergo a three-hour grooming workshop. These autos will also display a QR code, which people can scan to get driver details. Pattabhi says transport-related bodies such as Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union are supporting this initiative. ARDU has about 5,000 members. It is the union behind the successful Namma Yatri app.