Prepaid Autos at Medical College Junction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The much-awaited prepaid autorickshaw counter at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College junction will begin operations from September 5 onwards. A decision in this regard was taken in a meeting of the Traffic Advisory Committee convened by the City Corporation Mayor K Chandrika the other day.It was also decided in the meeting that the Traffic Police will install a kiosk at the counter and will appoint an officer to issue coupons. The autorickshaws that are already plying in the area will be made part of the prepaid counter.However, the Corporation authorities and Traffic Police are dissatisfied over the space identified for the prepaid rickshaw counter. The counter will be functioning on the vacant piece of land owned by Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) near the Ganapathi Temple in front of the hospital.Earlier, the idea was to set up the counter inside the hospital premises so that it aids the visitors to the hospital, including patients and bystanders. The counter, if established inside the hospital premises, would have been helpful to those who are in an emergency.But the Corporation’s plea to lend space to set up a prepaid rickshaw counter was dismissed by the Medical College authorities. They replied in writing to the Corporation that they were unable to approve of the request as they faced acute shortage of space. It was following this development that TRIDA came to the rescue of the City Corporation and provided the land, though on a temporary basis.The service of all autorickshaw drivers operating from MCH junction has been integrated to the prepaid counter. The fare charges have also been fixed after holding talks with the representatives of the rickshaw drivers in the region.