Thane Set to Introduce Prepaid Auto-Rickshaws to Curb Fare Disputes and Overcharging

Commuters in Thane city will soon have access to a prepaid auto-rickshaw system aimed at ending arbitrary pricing, fare refusals, and disputes with drivers. The state government is expected to formally approve the proposal by Monday, following which the service will be rolled out across the city.

Local MLA Sanjay Kelkar announced the decision after a high-level joint meeting held at the Government Rest House in Thane. The review followed an on-site inspection of the congested Thane railway station area, conducted alongside traffic police and Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials to examine traffic bottlenecks.

Under the proposed prepaid system, passengers arriving at Thane railway station will fix and pay their fare in advance at a counter before an auto-rickshaw is assigned. Kelkar stated that the mechanism will prevent drivers from overcharging, refusing short-distance rides, or arguing over routes and destinations.

To address driver misconduct and ensure smoother vehicular movement, the administration will increase physical enforcement around the railway station. Two RTO officers will be deployed on site for four hours each during peak morning and evening periods.

The meeting also covered broader traffic congestion across several major neighbourhoods in Thane, including Wagle Estate, Kopri, and Indira Nagar. Officials discussed remedial plans for these localities and decided to station permanent traffic police personnel at key busy intersections to manage daily bottlenecks.

The coordination meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Pankaj Shirsat, Regional Transport Officer Hemangini Patil, former municipal councillors Bharat Chavan, Amit Saraiya, and Anita Yadav, as well as Jayendra Koli and Vishal Wagh.