‘Clean’ stickers for Chennai's violation-free autos

Police identify over 16,000 vehicles that have maintained clean records for 2 years

If you sight an autorickshaw sporting a unique, flashy, red sticker with a swish, consider the driver has maintained a clean sheet and not been penalised for traffic violations over the last 24 months.

In a step towards recognising law-abiding autorickshaw drivers from more than 71,000 vehicles plying in the city, the police, in coordination with the State transport department, recently carried out a study on the on-road track record of autorickshaw drivers.

“We have identified over 16,000 autorickshaws that have maintained a clean record for two years, in terms of violations, as per the Motor Vehicles Act. To acknowledge the drivers, we have introduced an exclusive sticker which will be pasted on their vehicles,” said commissioner of police, S. George, on Saturday.

The sticker with the hologram of the city police emblem will be issued to deserving drivers from Monday, as part of the autorickshaw meter enforcement drive carried out by the city police from November 16, 2013. Elaborating on the initiative, joint commissioner of police (traffic), A. Arun, said another sticker in a different shade would be issued to drivers on a temporary basis following on-road checks by police personnel.

“The navy blue sticker will indicate the vehicle has undergone inspection by traffic police personnel and is clear of violations. Therefore, the driver will not be pulled over frequently,” Mr. Arun said.

Both the initiatives have come following repeated protests by autorickshaw drivers in the city over alleged police harassment.

Earlier, the city police, as part of an intensive drive along with the regional transport department, carried out over 1.11 lakh checks on autorickshaws plying in the city and impounded over 1,100 vehicles.

Traffic police statistics reveal nearly 18,500 autorickshaw drivers are still not plying by the meter and close to 20,000 vehicles do not have valid documents or permits and a good percentage of autorickshaws are indirectly owned by policemen.

“Our drive towards meter enforcement will be intense till we bring in an attitudinal change among drivers, and passengers, to go by the meter. An inquiry is on into police personnel operating vehicles,” Mr. George said.