Starting Saturday, the transport department’s new teams will check on erring autorickshaw drivers, who have not recalibrated the fare meters, in the city and its suburbs. Friday was the government-set deadline for recalibration of meters.
The deadline was extended for a month from October 15 after some autorickshaw unions went to court. Officials of the transport department said that until Thursday, 46,903 metres have been recalibrated and sealed by the Regional Transport Offices and 65,445 fare cards have been distributed.
“We have formed new teams to carry out checks from Saturday. There are 12 teams to cover the city and 13 teams for the suburbs, besides one mobile team. These teams will check if the meters have been recalibrated and sealed, and for other offences,” an official said. However, the department is yet to decide on the action to be taken on erring auto drivers.
The department continues to receive several complaints from passengers across the city and is looking into each of them, he added.
J. Seshasayanam, general secretary, Madras Metro Auto Drivers’ Association, said nearly 22,000 autorickshaws in the city are yet to get recalibrated meters. “One of the reasons for the delay is in tracking the original owners of the vehicles to get name transfer and then affix the seal. Auto drivers, who have taken loans for purchasing the vehicles, find it difficult to get the registration certificate from the financiers,” he said.
Renewal of lapsed fitness certificates and insurances are other reasons for the delay in recalibration. He said they needed at least six months time to fix these issues.
The official helpline provided for commuters to lodge complaints is 24749002.
