Come 2010 Games, finding autos will be just a call away.What is more – passengers can swipe their credit cards for making payment as the refurbished autos will be equipped with many facilities, including newspapers and water bottles, for the comfort and safety of passengers.Dubbed "common man's radio taxi", the pilot project, first of its kind in the country, equipping auto rickshaws with GPS-based systems is being launched by the Urban Development Ministry in Pune on November 29.As per the project, commuters can call a control room or send SMS for hiring autos and they will get a receipt after paying the prescribed fare."The project aims to provide a safer last mile connectivity to passengers. Many cities including Delhi have shown interest in the project," Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran said.The Urban Development Ministry is coordinating with different states as part of the national urban transport policy to provide better and comfortable mode of transportation to commuters.Keeping the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in mind, the Ministry is in talks with the Delhi government to introduce GPS-based auto rickshaws in the capital before October 2010.Highlighting the salient features of the project, Ramachandran said, "This is a scientific management of auto rickshaws. Since the movement of autos will be monitored by the control room and there will be very little scope of overcharging by drivers, the scheme will be beneficial for commuters especially for elderly and women."The auto rickshaw project is being implemented in public-private partnership model.Besides a free regular health check up, auto drivers will be given uniform and insurance policy as per the scheme. They will also be given special training to deal with passengers.There will be a database of auto drivers covered under the scheme. "In case of crime or harassment of commuters in autos, authorities can use the database to investigate the case," said a senior Urban Development official involved with the project.The interior of autos will be refurbished with provision of drinking water bottle and newspapers for passengers.To begin with a limited number of autos are being enrolled for the project and later on more will be added, said the official.Talks are on to equip the autos to use credit cards also, said the official and added advertisements will be allowed to be displayed on autos.Government's responsibilities are enforcement and setting up the control room, while other components are being provided by an organisation called Indivelop.
