Cops, RTO launch drive against illegal autos

NAGPUR: The city traffic police along with inspectors from Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Monday launched a joint drive against illegal passenger vehicles including six-seater autorickshaws plying in the city. On the first day, the team detained 73 vehicles, mostly private autorickshaws.
The police initiated the drive against six-seater autorickshaws following an instruction by commissioner of police K K Pathak, who has received several complaints against illegal passengers vehicles plying on city roads.DCP (traffic) Bharat Tangde said the drive would go on until all the autos have been checked for valid licence and they abide by the rules.
Tangde said, “We started the drive against private and six seater autos after receiving complaints from the citizens and permit holder autorickshaw drivers. These vehicles carry more passengers than they are allowed. Many are operating without valid licence and are found parked on roads leading to traffic jam. The drive is aimed at smoothening the flow of traffic and bring discipline.”
In the past, too, half-hearted efforts were initiated to ban the six-seater autos despite high court orders. Of the over 2,500 six-seater autos in the district, around 200 operate in the city. All these vehicles ply on city bus routes from Sitabuldi which is their hub. They take passengers to Pardi, Hudkeshwar, Hingna, Dighori, Manewada, Koradi, Kamptee and Defence-Wadi.
Tangde said flying squads had been instructed to focus on these vehicles. Meanwhile, six-seater autorickshaw association has claimed they had valid licence and the drive against them was not right. Opposing the action, a group of six seater autorickshaw drivers said, “Traffic cops take action against us when they find we are carrying extra passengers than we are allowed to but they never take action against the Starbuses that are always packed beyond capacity.”
‘Ply by meter now’
The police are also planning to start a drive against permit holder autorickshaws for not plying as per meters. In Nagpur city, autorickshaw drivers always give lame excuse that they could not ply by meter due to illegal passenger vehicles. Now they should start charging fares as per electronic meters, the cops said.