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New drive against errant auto drivers to begin today

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI DEC. 27. Taking a serious note of reports that autorickshaw drivers were still overcharging and not plying with working electronic meters, Delhi Transport Minister, Ajay Maken, today announced that a fresh drive to impound errant drivers would be unleashed across the Capital from tomorrow.

Ruling out any fare increase for the present till the autorickshaw drivers give a written undertaking to ply with functional electronic meters, Mr. Maken said that although a majority of the autorickshaws had returned, the strike had not been officially called off. He said the firm stand of the Government to protect the interests of lakhs of commuters had paid off as the vehicle owners were slowly returning to city roads without any pre-conditions. "We have been getting complaints about autorickshaw drivers overcharging for the past two to three days. The enforcement wing of the Transport Department and the traffic police have been asked to resume the exercise to impound autorickshaws which are plying in an illegal manner and harassing passengers by indulging in such practices,'' he stated.

Mr. Maken said the issue of a fare increase had not been given a thought. Despite the Government conceding a majority of the points raised by the autorickshaw drivers, they have still not given any undertaking to abide by the rule of law. First the autorickshaw unions should give a written undertaking that they would install electronic meters and ply with them in a working condition. Only after this will the Delhi Cabinet decide on the issue of a fare increase. "The autorickshaw drivers would have to discipline themselves and improve their conduct. The people are fed up with their corrupt and unethical ways. They should not force the Government to take strict action. We are determined not to buckle down to any blackmail and this has been shown by our resolve during the past fortnight,'' he remarked.

Mr. Maken said it was to the credit of DTC and other smaller modes of transport that the commuters did not really feel the shortage of autorickshaws during the past fortnight. The decision to allow the Rural Transport Vehicles (RTVs) and deploy DTC buses at several points proved to be a big success as the passenger needs were taken care of.

The people have appreciated the stand adopted by the Delhi Government and that is what has helped the Government to firm up its resolve not to bend over backward this time and submit to the pressure tactics of the autorickshaw operators.

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