If you live in Gurgaon,you have only two other transport options,apart from your own car: DTC buses and the diesel-run,smoke-belching shared autos or phatphatis. A DTC bus is of help only if a commuters destination falls on its route,otherwise the commuter has to pay the exorbitant fare of shared autos,and also put up with some unruly behaviour. Now,25-year-old entrepreneur Sulabh Mehra has offered commuters another alternative radio auto-rickshaws that will be at the passengers service through a phone call. Mehra launched the Radio Tuk Tuk service on November 22,and has 50 TVS auto-rickshaws fitted with GPS. I have been observing the commuting problem here and decided to do something about it, says Mehra,who turned to business after studying hotel management. Radio Tuk Tuks are available from 6.30 to 11 pm and charge Rs 50 for the first 3 km and Rs 8 for every subsequent kilometre. Mehra argues that the rates are lower than what other modes of transport charge. Look at what the shared autos charge. They wont settle for anything less than Rs 150 for a 3-km ride from Maruti Udyog to MGF mall. All Tuk Tuks,says Mehra,are fitted with electronic meters and a bill is provided to all passengers. A unique feature in these radio autos is the panic button,which Mehra says can be used in emergency situations such as the driver misbehaving with the passenger,though we do not expect anyone to take recourse to this. On pressing the button,a message flashes to the central control room. The response to the Tuk Tuks,according to Mehra,has been phenomenal. Over 80 per cent people are satisfied with our service. Ten per cent say the fare is high and another 10 per cent complain that all our phone lines are busy. This is something I have to address urgently. The company has 40 drivers on its rolls,and around 10 man the control room. Mehra is also open to hiring women drivers. It took Mehra little more than a year from conceptualisation to implementation. The venture is funded primarily by his family,who runs a spare parts business,and through bank loans. Mehra expects to break even in two years. I am not in it for money. This is a humble attempt to provide a service to my community, he adds. The reporter is a student at Express Institute of Media Studies
