Mumbai: Drive to clear out share autos at Kalyan station

Haphazardly parked share autos outside Kalyan station make the area chaotic

Launching a major drive to sanitise and free railway stations of illegal share autos and their chaotic queues that eat up space and block commuter movement, railway authorities have slapped 7-day notices on illegal auto stands outside Kalyan West station.

The space on railway premises is essential for disaster relief work and providing key passenger amenities, reads a notice, adding, "All auto rickshaws in railway premises on the west side should vacate the premise."

"It will be a zero-tolerance policy. The illegal autos have gone beyond limit and their crowds have now started blocking the main entrance gates. It causes a lot of inconvenience to passengers while entering and exiting the station in the west. Passengers have also been complaining of bullying by these elements," a senior railway official said.

One of the busiest stations on the Central Railway, Kalyan had a daily commuter footfall of about 5 lakh before the COVID pandemic.

The official said the railways has a serious note of the encroachment. He said, "We are just streamlining the entire area. Many of the share auto units get political support and then all local parties in the area start demanding such space, which is unfair and unsafe for overall public safety."

The railways have garnered support from the RTO, civic body and the police for the drive.

"It will be ensured that all autorickshaws outside the railway station are metered. Only one line of autos outside the railway boundary may be permitted. Legal action will be taken against violators under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 (PPE Act, 1971)," the official added.

Central Railway chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar confirmed the development.

5 lakh
Footfall at Kalyan station before COVID pandemic