29/01/2026
This is an awareness post for people in Chennai...
I wish to bring to your notice a serious and recurring issue observed at Chennai Central Railway Station.
During night and early morning hours—particularly at train arrival times—the prepaid auto and taxi counters are frequently found unmanned, despite a large number of autos and taxis being available in the prepaid parking area.
This appears to be not an isolated incident, but a repeated pattern. In the absence of counter staff, drivers directly approach passengers and demand exorbitant fares. This raises serious concern about a possible understanding between the counter staff and drivers, allowing the prepaid booking staff to go missing during peak arrival hours so that drivers can charge higher rates.
If this is not checked, the very purpose of the prepaid system is defeated, and passengers—especially senior citizens, women, and late-night travelers—are put to inconvenience and financial exploitation.
This issue seems to be specific to Chennai, as prepaid systems in other major cities function even during late-night hours.
