Bhubaneswar: The Khurda Road Railway Division is planning to allot parking lots to cab aggregators such as Ola, Uber and others outside Bhubaneswar railway station for a fee.
Booking kiosks will be set up at the station to facilitate easier travel for passengers. The model is also expected to fetch additional revenues for the East Coast Railway (ECoR) through license fees.
Currently, while the parking policies allow app-based cab aggregators to operate on the premises of the station, they are not being able to park due to vicious opposition by the auto drivers. Passengers opting for Ola or Uber usually have to walk all the way to Tanishq or Lalchnd Jewellers near Master Canteen square outside the station to get to their vehicles.
“Lugging luggage and walking all the way is difficult for someone like me,” said a middle-aged lady who added that she finds travelling in an Ola/Uber auto safer and alleged that auto drivers often fleece people.
Confirming the decision, a senior official of ECoR said, “We have been trying to offer Ola-Uber services at Bhubaneswar station for a long time now as it will be of convenience to elderly and passengers with heavier luggage. We have called for proposals from companies that had expressed interests to set up kiosks at the station under the Railways’ New, Innovative Non Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (NINFRIS). We are planning to provide them parking space beside the station, near Hotel Excellency where there is space. In case we fail to arrange the parking space, we have asked the cab aggregators to bridge the gap in services by arranging licensed porters to help passengers with their luggage to pick-up spots outside the station. This service could be availed by travelers who have booked rides both via apps or through the kiosk,” explained the official.
Such parking and cab service models are available at a lot of stations throughout the country. While previous attempts by the station to allow ride hailing services to operate on premises was met with opposition and vandalism by auto drivers, this time the officials are positive to make it happen.
“It will be very convenient for us if cabs are allowed on the premises. If care is also taken to somehow avoid airport like congestion at the entry and exit points, it would be even better,” said Tulsi Bhoi, who regularly shuttles between Bhubaneswar and Titlagarh.