Drivers be alert. The Central Government is planning to create a mobile application with the history of the drivers and increase penalty for violation of road and traffic rules. The government may approve the proposal for amendments in traffic rules for violations and frame an Act in the next Parliament session, said Transport Commissioner N. Balasubramanyam.
Participating in the three-day training programme ‘I am a safe driver’ organised by the Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners’ Association (APLOA), ROMCOR and Voluntary Health, Education and Economic Development Unit (VHEEDU) for autorickshaw drivers on road safety here on Friday,Crash course for autodrivers
Mr. Balasubramanyam said the history of a driver, including traffic violations, accidents involved if any, penalties paid, behaviour and other details, would be uploaded in the App.
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Observing that 4.29 lakh autos were plying in Andhra Pradesh and nearly 50 per cent of the drivers did not possess driving licence, the Transport Commissioner said the State government would think about running a crash course for auto drivers in reputed driving schools and providing certificates. The certificates would be treated as equivalent to the standard of eighth class. A meeting was scheduled for July 19, he said.
“Once the proposal for amendment of traffic rules is cleared, the penalties for signal jumping, driving without helmet, driving while talking over phone will be Rs. 2,000, Rs, 5,000 and Rs. 10,000. According to the data, 350 people are losing lives and about 4,000 persons are getting injured in road accidents in India every day, which was 240 in Australia and ‘zero’ per cent in Sweden,” Mr. Balasubramanyam explained.
He said that 12,000 autos were transporting nearly 2 lakh passengers every day in the city and asked the auto drivers to be polite and create a ‘friendly city’.
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“Auto drivers are ‘cultural ambassadors’ of a city as a person will decide the culture of the city after speaking to an auto driver. Mumbai has developed into a big city in all aspects, just because of the good behaviour of the taxi drivers,” the Commissioner said and asked the auto drivers to drive safe and provide safe journey for the co-travellers.
Stands for
‘She Auto’ drivers
When the ‘She Auto’ drivers said they had no stands in the city, the Commissioner said stands would be set up at bus and railway stations.
Deputy Transport Commissioner E. Meera Prasad, APLOA President P. Gopala Naidu, general secretary Y.V. Eswara Rao, ACP (Traffic) D. Sravan Kumar, ROMCOR Group of Companies managing director K.V.S. Prakash Rao, VHEEDU executive director M. Vasu and others participated.