25 AC call taxis at your service from today

Ludhiana is all set to get air-conditioned radio taxi service from Wednesday. Transport Minister Mohan Lal will flag off 25 AC radio cabs at a function in Ludhiana. Under the transport policy of the Transport Department,AC cabs have already been introduced in Amritsar and Mohali.

By dialing 41-414-14,a metered AC radio taxi would be available within minutes. Under the guidelines of the Transport Department,the operator will have to install a transparent metering system for point-to-point charging at the fixed rate of Rs 15 per kilometre. Each cab has been fitted with electronic tamper-proof meters to show accurate billing while point-to-point charging will ensure that commuters have to pay only for the actual distance travelled.

The service is authorised to operate within a radius of 40 kms and will,thus,be able to cover stations like Khanna,Jagraon,Malerkotla and Phagwara. The taxis will have a GPRS system to keep a tab on the movement. When a passenger calls,the technology will track the nearest available taxi,and the control room will instruct the driver to go for the pick up.

According to Principal Secretary,Transport,DS Jaspal,the introduction of radio taxis will complement the air-conditioned bus service and provide passengers with the “last mile connectivity” to their destination.