VIJAYAWADA: Parents of children going to school by autorickshaws should get ready to buy safety of their child by paying more money to drivers of the vehicle.

Drivers of autorickshaws engaged in transportation of schoolchildren are busy working on a new `deal' that would require parents to enhance the fares being paid to them thanks to the new Government Order that prohibits autorickshaws from carrying more than six children in one trip.

"The new rule is already in effect. At least 16 to 20 cases are being booked everyday against violators. The punishment ranges from collection of fine to seizure of the vehicle. In case of repeating the offence, we are detaining the vehicle and returning it with a stern warning for a greater impact," says the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic), T. Prabhakar Babu.

Mr. Babu said the drivers wanted some time but the department could do little to help them in this regard. Auto drivers' union leaders, meanwhile, claim to have persuaded the officials to soft-pedal the issue till September 5.

Simple logic

After failing to convince the officials, autorickshaw drivers in the city have decided to charge more from parents to make up for the losses that they would incur due to the limited number of children.

The move to reign in autorickshaw drivers was necessitated by the series of road accidents that killed schoolchildren travelling in over-loaded vehicles.

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