The Madurai City Police conducted a simultaneous drive against autorickshaws for transporting school children beyond the permissible limits on Monday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) R. Thirunavukkarasu said that 112 autorickshaws were fined for violating the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and 220 cases registered. Two Assistant Commissioners of Police (Traffic), six Inspectors and 12 sub-inspectors from the traffic wing carried out the checks at 20 points in the city. “I feel that around 80 per cent of the city may have been covered in the day-long operation…and we hope to continue the drive,” he added.
The drive was mainly to create awareness among the autorickshaw drivers of the need to ensure safety of children. Parents should also realise the seriousness of rash driving and keep a vigil on the drivers. During the check, it was revealed that a school itself operated an autorickshaw in which the driver was carrying over 10 children. The vehicle was impounded. Similarly, 12 private vans were fined for overloading. The drivers were told that recurrence of similar offence would be dealt with sternly by the authorities.
