Pune: Metro commuters can now take rides from the SNDT–Nal Stop Metro station in feeder autorickshaws, as the autorickshaw union and Maha Metro on Saturday launched feeder services. Four different routes covering various locations in the Kothrud area, including Warje, DP Road–Rajaram Bridge and parts of Karvenagar, have been identified in the first phase of the launch. Commuters will have to pay Rs 20 or Rs 30 per seat per ride based on the distance. A mobile-based app has also been made available for commuters to book their rides.Deepak Mohite, a Metro passenger after getting down at the station on Saturday afternoon, booked a ride through the app to travel to Rajaram Bridge. Mohite said the link displayed the route as well as the stops along the way. “After completing the process, a ride code was generated, which I shared with the auto driver before paying the fare for the journey,” Mohite said.State cabinet minister and Kothrud MLA Chandrakant Patil, who was present at the inauguration, along with mayor Manjusha Nagpure, said the initiative will help commuters reach Metro stations and return home easily. He told the authorities to extend feeder autorickshaw services to other Metro stations as well.“Rickshamitra prepaid auto services were launched at Pune railway station a few months ago. It received a good response so far. A similar response is expected for the new service at the Metro station,” Patil said.“State govt, with support from the Centre, is expanding the Metro network in key cities across the state, including Pune. Strengthening public transport is the govt’s top priority. There are also plans to introduce environment-friendly e-buses in Pune,” he added.Patil further asked Maha Metro to jointly introduce smaller feeder buses at Metro stations in collaboration with PMPML.The autorickshaw union Baghtoy Rickshawala has taken the initiative to launch feeder services at the station.Keshav Kshirsagar, head of the Baghtoy Rickshawala, said a dedicated halt has been set up at the station. “We have put up boards for the convenience of commuters. Some improvements will be made in the coming days. At present, commuters can travel to various destinations from the station, and we are also planning to set up dedicated halts at pickup points to help passengers reach the station,” he said.Gajanan Kad, an autorickshaw driver, said many passengers booked rides on Saturday. “We expect the response to increase over the next few days,” he said.Regular metro commuters in the city said a lack of feeder services has been a major concern and are demanding better feeder connectivity, especially at stations with high footfall or those located at strategic locations.Meena Kale, a Metro commuter at the SNDT–Nal Stop station, said authorities should ensure the newly launched initiative functions smoothly. “The autos should be given a dedicated area at the stations so that traffic is not disrupted,” Kale said.
