The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Law & Order

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 01, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Law & Order

According to the police the display system is based on the Singapore model, writes K.V. Subramanya

Complaints against auto drivers likely

to come down

COMPLAINTS OF autorickshaw drivers indulging in unlawful practices and harassing passengers are expected to come down with the authorities making it mandatory for autorickshaw drivers to display their details in their vehicles.

According to the new system, which will come into force on April 15, autorickshaw drivers have to compulsorily display in their vehicles the card issued to them by the traffic police.

The display card will have the driver's photograph, name, address and driving licence along with the police serial number allotted to him. The card has to be displayed on the rear side of the driver's seat so that passengers can clearly see it.

Passengers can just note down the police serial number mentioned in the card and complaint to the police of any harassment or misbehaviour by the driver.

Public can complain to the police of drivers charging excess fare and also refusing to go on hire, says Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) M. Abdullah Saleem.

He says the new system will act as a deterrent and bring down the incidents of autorickshaw drivers harassing people and indulging in unlawful acts.

Serial number

As autorickshaws change hands frequently, the police are presently finding it difficult to trace the vehicles as well as the drivers involved in illegal acts. As each driver is now allotted a police serial number, it will help the police in tracing the drivers easily, he explains.

According to an estimate there are nearly 20,000 autorickshaw drivers in the city who do not have driving licence. Once the new system comes into force, drivers without licence can be caught and punished.

Those who do not display the card will attract a fine of Rs. 2,000, Mr. Saleem says.

The driver details display system is based on the Singapore-model.

In Singapore, it is mandatory for the taxi drivers to display their details in vehicles.

Bangalore will be the first city in the country to introduce this system, according to Mr. Saleem.

In recent months there have been several incidents of autorickshaw drivers and their accomplices robbing the passengers of cash and valuables.

Three such cases were reported on the Mysore Road flyover.

In two incidents reported from the East division, autorickshaw drivers dashed against elderly women, pretended to help them and snatched their gold chains. Senior officials feel that such incidents too would come down in the future.

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