The state government wants to create new auto routes to increase last-mile connectivity within the city and its adjoining areas, transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty said on Friday.
Autorickshaws have remained a crucial link in the city’s transportation landscape and for some time now the state government has been trying to address the need of bringing new areas under the network of autorickshaws.
“The city is expanding and new residential pockets have started emerging with demand for last-mile connectivity,” Chakraborty told Metro.
“I have instructed the regional transport offices (RTOs) to explore new routes and issue permits at the earliest so that people find it easier to commute.”
Chakraborty was speaking at the sidelines of an event to mark the launch of an electric auto-rickshaw and a cargo vehicle by Bajaj Auto in the city.
While almost all routes in the city have way more autos than the number permitted, newer areas off EM Bypass, VIP Road, Diamond Harbour Road and New Town either don’t have any routes or the number plying on the routes are inadequate.
With north-south Metro link extending till Dakshineswar and the truncated Joka-Esplanade link remaining operational till Majerhat, new pockets have emerged with demands for auto routes.
Officials of the transport department said the demand for new routes was already pouring in from the stretch of EM Bypass between New Garia and Ruby which is set to be connected with a new metro link shortly.
“The permits for new auto routes are issued by the board of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA). I have asked the RTA members to meet more frequently than now so that permits for routes in the city’s expanding landscape can be released in greater numbers and faster,” Chakraborty said.
Transport department officials said they have been receiving appeals from parts of New Town, Bhangar, Dakshineswar, New Garia, and Narendrapur for new routes for autorickshaws.