KOCHI: Ideally , the pre-paid auto hiring system at railway stations is supposed to ensure that passengers have a safe and hassle-free travel to their destinations, after alighting the train. But ask a regular passenger, and you will see that their experiences have been far different from the expectations.
Recently, a couple who had alighted at Aluva Railway Station ended up spending the better part of their night running around in search of an autorickshaw -- that too, with an infant in hand. Ashiq Haider Ali had arrived at the station with his family at 6.10 pm, on the Alappuzha-Chennai Express. “But the pre-paid counter at the station was not functioning,” said Ashiq, a physiotherapist by profession. “I travel to Aluva frequently and I have never seen the counter operational. The auto drivers charge at will, and the passengers have to cater to their whims,” he said.
On seeing the autorickshaws parked near the counter, Ashiq had approached the driver of the first vehicle. But he refused to take the trip. “It was dark and raining. I approached the next driver and then the next. None of them was ready to take the trip,” said Ashiq. He pointed out that the drivers were behaving rudely to other passengers too. “We were just walking around in the rain, seeking a ride. After a long wait that we finally managed to hail an autorickshaw.
As soon as I got in, I sent a message to the traffic police. They responded immediately and assured us that a team would be sent to the station. According to them, they have been unable to act on the matter because nobody files a complaint,” said Ashiq. The issue is not isolated to Aluva Railway Station. According to Anna Seban, who works at a city college, the pre-paid counter at the back entrance of Ernakulam South Railway Station too remains closed once it’s dusk.