The Hindu : Traffic police crack down on auto drivers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 11, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Traffic police crack down on auto drivers

By Anil Sastry

BANGALORE APRIL 10. Traffic rules violators, particularly autorickshaw drivers, beware. The Bangalore City Traffic Police plan to strictly implement the rules to ensure discipline on the roads.

One step taken by them against autorickshaw drivers is to detain vehicles for long hours. When an autorickshaw is found parked in a `no parking' zone, or a driver has committed a serious violation of rules, the vehicle is detained at the jurisdictional police station for more than five hours. The driver will lose earnings for the period the vehicle is detained, and will not violate rules again, traffic policemen feel. "Autorickshaw drivers don't mind paying a fine of Rs. 100 and getting away, so that they can continue to violate rules,'' policemen remark. On the other hand, autorickshaw drivers complain that they are being "victimised" by traffic police. One driver says only 10 per cent of autorickshaw drivers are habitual offenders, and it is not fair for police to harass the rest of the drivers who observe rules. But autorickshaw users point out that many drivers are rash and reckless, and quarrel with passengers demanding higher fare.

Various associations representing autorickshaw drivers voice concern. They say there is a lack of designated autorickshaw stands in Bangalore. According to official figures, there are 60,000 autorickshaws in the City. However, the actual number is higher, as there are many autorickshaws without documents, traffic policemen say.

Not only autorickshaw drivers but drivers of other vehicles also violate traffic rules, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East), Amar Kumar Pande, says. Riders of the more than 10 lakh two-wheeler in Bangalore, and drivers of four-wheeler vehicles also cause problems on the roads, he points out. Last year, police registered as many as 13 lakh cases in the City which has 17 lakh vehicles. Despite the efforts of police, drivers continue to violate rules, Mr. Pande adds.

Besides enforcing traffic rules strictly, police have been imparting free training to autorickshaw drivers, he says. A programme is started as soon as the training centre enlists 10 to 15 drivers, and a traffic police inspector asked to conduct it. Training in traffic rules is also available to the public, and the Traffic Training Institute, 13th Floor, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Building (earlier Public Utility Building), M.G. Road (phone: 294 2117) can be contacted.

However, Mr. Pande says the public should cooperate to help police maintain order on the roads. For example, they should not stop autorickshaws at their place of choice, particularly main roads, as this might cause traffic snarls. They should board and alight autorickshaws at the designated stands of the vehicles, he adds.

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