<p>Bengaluru: Prefixed auto counters across the city handle an average of 19,000 passengers every month, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has said. The department manages 26 such booths in 19 localities.</p>.<p>After shutting down during the Covid-19 pandemic, prepaid auto booths were revived in 2023.</p>.<p>"Their return has been successful. They have been working quite well across the city. We are mainly targeting bus stands, railway stations, hospitals, and malls," said MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).</p>.<p>In the last six months, booths in the Cubbon Park and Upparpet traffic police limits recorded the highest footfall - 36,522 and 22,580 passengers, respectively. However, Pulakeshinagar received none and Jayanagar only 142.</p>.<p>When DH visited booths in busy neighbourhoods, most were found unmanned.</p>.<p>At Victoria Hospital near KR Market, the auto booth, despite a heavy footfall last month, was unmanned throughout Sunday as police officials were deputed for "special duty" involving the chief minister. This booth and the one at KIMS Hospital, both under the VV Puram traffic limits, saw a combined 1,381 passengers last month.</p>.<p>The ESI Hospital booth in Rajajinagar experienced a similar problem on Wednesday. Though the booth handled 990 passengers in June — up from 600-700 in earlier months — it remained unmanned.</p>.Auto-rickshaw driver thrashed by Sena (UBT) workers over 'anti-Marathi' remarks; video goes viral.<p>"The booth used to be manned regularly and is quite busy throughout the day. But when there is a special duty, we have no option but to prioritise that. We, too, are short-staffed," said a traffic police official from Rajajinagar.</p>.<p>The booth near the Majestic bus stand has officially been functional for six months, but regular travellers claimed it was often unmanned. On Sunday afternoon, it remained closed for 40 minutes.</p>.<p>Booths near the MG Road metro station and Orion Mall on Dr Rajkumar Road were also shut on Wednesday. Auto drivers said both stations function sporadically, sometimes remaining unoperational for weeks. BTP data showed the Orion Mall booth saw 55 customers in June, a sharp drop from 740 in May.</p>.<p>At Avenue Road near Raja Market, the booth doubles as a police outpost. The official posted there spends most of his time managing traffic. The booth handles about 30 passengers daily despite a limited supply of autos.</p>.<p>"To deal with the problem of unmanned booths, we plan to make the prefixed auto booths mobile. We will use POS machines to achieve this. This way, customers do not have to look for the booths or wait for officials," Anucheth said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Prefixed auto counters across the city handle an average of 19,000 passengers every month, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has said. The department manages 26 such booths in 19 localities.</p>.<p>After shutting down during the Covid-19 pandemic, prepaid auto booths were revived in 2023.</p>.<p>"Their return has been successful. They have been working quite well across the city. We are mainly targeting bus stands, railway stations, hospitals, and malls," said MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).</p>.<p>In the last six months, booths in the Cubbon Park and Upparpet traffic police limits recorded the highest footfall - 36,522 and 22,580 passengers, respectively. However, Pulakeshinagar received none and Jayanagar only 142.</p>.<p>When DH visited booths in busy neighbourhoods, most were found unmanned.</p>.<p>At Victoria Hospital near KR Market, the auto booth, despite a heavy footfall last month, was unmanned throughout Sunday as police officials were deputed for "special duty" involving the chief minister. This booth and the one at KIMS Hospital, both under the VV Puram traffic limits, saw a combined 1,381 passengers last month.</p>.<p>The ESI Hospital booth in Rajajinagar experienced a similar problem on Wednesday. Though the booth handled 990 passengers in June — up from 600-700 in earlier months — it remained unmanned.</p>.Auto-rickshaw driver thrashed by Sena (UBT) workers over 'anti-Marathi' remarks; video goes viral.<p>"The booth used to be manned regularly and is quite busy throughout the day. But when there is a special duty, we have no option but to prioritise that. We, too, are short-staffed," said a traffic police official from Rajajinagar.</p>.<p>The booth near the Majestic bus stand has officially been functional for six months, but regular travellers claimed it was often unmanned. On Sunday afternoon, it remained closed for 40 minutes.</p>.<p>Booths near the MG Road metro station and Orion Mall on Dr Rajkumar Road were also shut on Wednesday. Auto drivers said both stations function sporadically, sometimes remaining unoperational for weeks. BTP data showed the Orion Mall booth saw 55 customers in June, a sharp drop from 740 in May.</p>.<p>At Avenue Road near Raja Market, the booth doubles as a police outpost. The official posted there spends most of his time managing traffic. The booth handles about 30 passengers daily despite a limited supply of autos.</p>.<p>"To deal with the problem of unmanned booths, we plan to make the prefixed auto booths mobile. We will use POS machines to achieve this. This way, customers do not have to look for the booths or wait for officials," Anucheth said.</p>