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Autos with newspapers, internet and drivers you can trust

G Auto is a new line of auto rickshaw services initiated by IIM-A alumnus Nirmal Kumar. It comes with features such as newspapers and magazines, telephones and trash bins.

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When you are getting late for office, have no time to read the newspaper and have insufficient talk time on phone, the last thing you want is a bumpy auto ride. But a ride on a ‘G Auto’ can save the day, claims an IIM-A alumnus.

G Auto is a new line of auto rickshaw services initiated by IIM-A alumnus Nirmal Kumar. Besides providing various security facilities to the customers as well as rickshaw owners, G autos are laced with features such as an array of newspapers and magazines, telephones and trash bins. The service was inaugurated by chief minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Nirmal Kumar, who is the director of Nirmal foundation, and had come up with the idea of G Auto, said, "We are also planning to include e-recharge for mobile phones, battery chargers and internet facilities among the services that are provided in the auto."

Pointing at the lack of trust that people have in auto rickshaw drivers and the fares that they charge, Kumar is planning to put a system in place to ensure that the passengers are not cheated and they have a comfortable journey without compromising the income of the rickshaw drivers.

The initiative started taking shape in June 2008. Since then, many auto drivers have joined G Autos as a member. "We have around 1,000 members," Kumar said. Talking about how he plans to ensure that passengers are not cheated or bullied by G-Auto drivers, Kumar said, "The passengers can call and contact us any time. All our auto rickshaws will have our number on it. Passengers are welcome to call us if they feel they have been cheated."

"We have complete details of our member drivers. As a member of the foundation, a driver should drive his own auto rickshaw, should have a license, a ration card, an ID card and a badge."

Besides a safe and comfortable ride for the passengers, the foundation has also made arrangements for the welfare of its members (the drivers).

A member of G Auto gets a bank account with the State Bank of India (SBI), accident insurance, required arrangements for their children's education and even a portion of the earnings of the foundation.

Considering the influx of tourists and migrants to the city, the foundation is planning to teach spoken English to its drivers. "We would soon start conducting training sessions on good manners, hospitality, and spoken English."

Talking about the expansion plans, Kumar said, "I have plans to launch the service chain to other parts of the country. The brand name, however, will continue to be 'G Auto', with G standing for Gujarat."

Thanking the chief minister for inaugurating the services, Kumar said, "He is the right person to approach for such innovative ideas. When I went to him with my idea, he was very supporting and suggested me around 10 more ideas."

Talking about the benefits of becoming a member of the G Auto, Abdul Farid, a resident of Saudagar ni Pol, Jamalpur, said, "After becoming a member, I had an accident in December 2008 and sustained several fractures. I will be getting my accident insurance of Rs15,000 soon. This was possible only because I was a member of the foundation and had insurance. Had that not been the case, I would have been in a tight spot today." Farid has been an auto driver for nine years and became a member of the foundation around eight months back.

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