Auto policy unveiled, union won't stand by offenders

KOLKATA: The state government announced the auto policy on Tuesday with strict guidelines. Now, police can pull up the offending operators because the INTTUC, to which these autos are affiliated, said it won't stand by such drivers.
“We, unlike the CITU, will act as an enabler to the government's efforts. It is in the interest of all stakeholders that this policy is acted upon,“ INTTUC state president Dola Sen said.The role of the union is very crucial in law enforcement because these autos ply on a definite route and often gang up against the police whenever they plan a crackdown.
However, don't expect any intervention -either from police or the union -when auto operators demand double the fare for the same distan ce during the Pujas. The government is silent on fixing of fares and has left it to the ro ute committe es to do so. The reason, in Bengal autos operate as public transport and have not been included under the MV Act.
The policy promises to give the passengers some respite. The auto drivers will have a badge and the vehicles are need to be fitted with High Security Registration Plates.They would allow quick identification, legal conformity , and in its absence, fast prosecution. The state also outlined a one-time window to regularize autos. It also speaks of reorganizing existing auto routes and introducing new routes.
All registered autos should run on LPG, else its registration can be cancelled.