Pre-paid Auto @ Ghaziabad Railway Station

For the last few months a pre-paid auto booth had opened up at the Ghaziabad railway station and everyone was happy about the fact that the transport was readily available and it was regulated with fixed rates and prompt service. I have been travelling a lot in the last few months and was enjoying the facilities and was very happy about it until today.

 

This morning when I reached the Ghaziabad railway station, I walked up straight to the pre-paid booth to book my auto. While I was walking towards the booth, I was a bit surprised that the booth was deserted. I have always seen long queues of the passengers as well as the auto drivers. I walked up-to the booth and asked the person sitting there to give me a taxi. He said that there is no taxi available at this time. I could see at-least 10 of them parked just alongside. I pointed towards them and he said that they are not willing to go. You can talk directly to them and hire them. I was a bit surprised at this but nevertheless I walked up-to one of them.

 

I asked the driver how much would he charge me. He hurriedly replied 120. The general fare was 100 plus some extra for the luggage that you were carrying. I just had a backpack so it would be 105 or 110 at best. But I thought it is ok and I did not want to stand there fighting for 10 rupees in the cold morning. I agreed to go with him.

 

As I reached his auto I could see some one was already seated, I asked about the person sitting, he said that I have to share the auto with him. I declined the offer and said that I want to book an entire auto and not share with anyone. Hearing this he just walked away. Stunned, I move to another one and he agreed for 200 rupees and said that this is the new rate. Hearing this I was sure why they are not going the pre-paid way. If you are charging double of what the rate is, why would you go with the pre-paid rates. I said that the rate was 100, he said fare has been hiked and this is the correct fare. He even said that I can check the rates at the pre-paid counter. I walked back to the pre-paid counter to check the price and the price he said for my home was still 100. After a long 15 - 20 minute in the cold morning I could get one auto that agreed to charge 150.

 

Such is the story of the transport here in Ghaziabad. If I book a taxi from my place to the railway station, it costs me 250 for non AC and 300 for an AC indica/indigo. The problem is that these taxis are not available at the station hence I am left with no other option than to surrender to the un-realistic demands of the auto drivers. All of this signifies the lack of control that the government and the concerned departments have over the transportation in and around NCR. So they are correct in saying that once you are out of Delhi you better get ready to pay hefty amounts as conveyance else walk.