The West Bengal government has decided to introduce more autorickshaws routes around five stations on the Metro corridor in Kolkata to cater to the growing demand for feeder connectivity.
At least 400 autorickshaws, which will be electric vehicles, will ply on the new routes that are being drawn up considering the flow of passengers to these stations.
Primarily, new services will be introduced around Dakshineswar and Noapara stations on the north-south Metro line and around Bengal Chemical, Central Park and Swabhumi stations on the truncated East-West line.
On Saturday, transport minister Firhad Hakim said the government was planning to feed the Metro network with an aim to reduce the vehicle count on roads.
The transport department had conducted a survey of the demand and supply of auto routes around some of the Metro stations a few weeks back.
Senior officials of the department said on Monday that the new routes were being drawn up after considering the local demand of the commuters and the lack of connectivity from these stations.
“We have, for instance, observed that there is poor connectivity between Dakshineswar Metro station and an engineering college in Agarpara,” said an official of the transport department.
During the transport survey, officers found that Noapara Metro station attracts a large number of commuters from parts of Sinthee, Baranagar, Tobin Road and ISI, near Dunlop. A similar demand was also seen between Swabhuimi station and Ultadanga.
The officers found that there were not enough autorickshaws to cater to the demands of commuters moving between Wipro and Sector V Metro station.
The transport department has fixed the number of autorickshaws that would be introduced in each of these new routes based on the survey.
“Apart from promoting the use of e-vehicles, the new routes will also help in feeding the Metro network,” the official said.
Mercedes driver custody
Rahul Kedia, who was at the wheel of the Mercedes Benz that killed New Alipore resident Minu Dhandhania, was sent to judicial custody till July 11 on Monday.
Minu was returning home with her husband Devkishan and sons Rachit and Aryan in their Honda City and waiting for a traffic signal to turn green at the EM Bypass and Beleghata Main Road crossing when a Mercedes Benz rammed into their car.
Minu was killed on the spot, on June 16.
Preliminary investigations by police had revealed that Kedia was driving under the influence of alcohol and had allegedly consumed alcohol thrice the permissible limit for driving.
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