Mangaluru : A pre-paid auto rickshaw facility (counter) was launched at Mangaluru Junction Railway Station on Wednesday July 15.

Bhupati Raj, Area Manager, Palakkad Division of Southern Railway, launched the facility managed by Willy’s Auto Park, Balmatta.

According to a railway official, Corporation Bank has sponsored the counter, while the railways have provided the electricity connection to the counter which would function day and night.

However electricity connection had not been provided to the counter till Wednesday evening. A railway official said that it would be provided before Thursday.

Passengers would have to pay Re. 1 as service charge at the counter in addition to the fare fixed to different destinations by the Regional Transport Authority and Regional Transport Office. The minimum fare fixed is Rs. 23 for 1.5 km.

Regarding an issue pertaining to the agency managing the counter sharing half of the service charge with the railways, the official said that it has not been settled yet.

For the time being, probably the railways might not ask for it from the agency managing the counter. Service charge was not being collected at Mangaluru Central Railway Station.

Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP and Ivan D’Souza, MLC, have promised to take it up with the railways and resolve it.