In a bid to improve first- and last-mile connectivity to metro stations, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) inaugurated two pre-fixed auto rickshaw kiosks on Wednesday, January 4. The counters were opened at the MG Road and Cubbon Park stations. The initiative is conducted jointly with the city traffic police. According to a statement by the BMRCL, the corporation plans to open similar counters in three other metro stations as well — Banashankari, Baiyappanahalli and Nagasandra.
At the counter, the traveller must provide information about their destination, after which a slip containing the driver’s name, mobile number, auto rickshaw registration number, destination address, mobile number of commuter, and amount to be paid at the end of the journey will be generated. Commuters who choose the pre-fixed auto stands must pay an additional Rs 2 as service charges at the counters.

The pre-fixed auto rickshaw counters will operate from 5 am every day to 12.30 am the following day, the release said, adding that the responsibility of operating the counters will be shared by the BMRCL and the traffic police. As per the latest government orders, the fare for these pre-fixed autos will be a base fare of Rs 30 for the first two kilometres, and Rs 15 for every subsequent kilometre. Between 10 pm and 5 am, the fare will be 1.5 times the normal amount.
Meanwhile, on Monday, January 2, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Phase 2 of Namma Metro will be completed before 2024. He added that work on the Rs 26,000-crore Phase 3 will be launched immediately after approval is received from the Union government. Earlier, addressing a session on the ‘future of mobility’ at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 in November, Managing Director of BMRCL Anjum Parwez said that as part of the second and third phase of the project, Bengaluru will have 314 km of metro rail connectivity by 2041.