(Pics by Mandar)Pune:The railway authorities are exploring the possibility of having a dedicated cab bay on the Pune station premises, provided there is space.“Space at the front circulating area is a problem, but if any aggregator comes to us with a proposal, we will look into the same. The station is in for redevelopment and once it is done, it will have many facilities,” a senior railway official said.Several passengers demanded a dedicated counter and a bay for cabs like that in the airport. In 2018, a dedicated lane was earmarked for a cab aggregator.Some passengers claimed that harassment by autorickshaw drivers at the station was at its peak and authorities were not addressing the issue. Refusing rides by the meter, fleecing and demanding astronomical fares for short trips had become a norm, they stressed.“I had booked cabs thrice after reaching Pune. Two drivers refused the ride and another told me to come out of the station because according to him, he would be harried by autorickshaw drivers. There were many autos, but no one was ready to go by the meter. They demanded high fares just to go to Shivajinagar. At the end, I didn’t have a choice but to budge. Why can’t there be a dedicated cab corridor and a booth at the station? I have seen the same at Howrah and Delhi stations,” Parul Jain, a dentist who was in Pune for work, said.Some passengers said autorickshaw drivers frequently fought and argued with cabbies, resulting in many cab drivers not entering the station. “This happens mainly in the late evening hours. There is a prepaid auto stand at the station but the situation is the same there,” said Samrat Prakash, a Wanowrie resident.
