Mangaluru: Railways have put forth certain conditions that have stalled the operationality of the prepaid auto rickshaw counter at the Mangaluru Junction Railway Station.  The district administration had persuaded the Corporation Bank to sponsor the structure of the counter, while Bharatiya Mazdur Sangha had come forward to operate it.

Sources say that the Southern Railway has demanded payment of 50 per cent of the service charge collected at the counter every day be paid to the railways, which in turn would be paid to the railway police, which would supervise the counter. Re. 1 was fixed as the service charge, and many found this too meager to operate the counter.

This has now been compounded by demand of the Railways which has demanded 50% of the fee. This would make it nonviable for the operator. Southern Railway’s Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager Anand Prakash told The Hindu newspaper, that the demand is in line with set practices.  One other demand of the railways – an advance deposit must be paid towards electricity charges.

Paschima Karavali Rail Yatri Abhivriddhi Sangha adviser Anil Hegde said the administration and the Railways should resolve the issue in the interest of the commuters as they are being harrassed by the autorickshaw operators who charging hefty fares.