Date:02/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/02/stories/2006070215790300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Drive against share autos for permit violations

P. Oppili

The vehicles are overcrowded, guilty of rash driving and block vehicles at bus stops The vehicles are overcrowded, guilty of rash driving and block vehicles at bus stops

CHENNAI: The City Traffic Police have started cracking down on share autorickshaws following complaints of violation of permit norms and dangerous driving practices.

The police seized 13 vehicles all over the city, said Sunil Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic. The raids were conducted on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, he said.

The police had slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on each violator. The vehicles were overcrowded, guilty of rash and negligent driving and blocked vehicles at bus stops, posing a threat to commuters.

A common violation in most of the share autorickshaws was that the vehicle owners modified the vehicles to create additional seats.

They were permitted to carry only three passengers besides the driver. The overloading also posed a threat to other road users.

RTO's drive

A similar drive was organised by the Regional Transport Officer (South) for the past couple of days in which the officials seized more than a dozen share autorickshaws and half a dozen maxicabs for permit violations.

The maxi cab vehicles were operated as stage carriages, said the Transport Department sources.

Inadequate buses

While the move against maxi cabs and share autorickshaws was welcomed by many, commuters argue that they are forced to travel by these vehicles due to lack of bus services.

The share autorickshaws have dedicated commuters in Adyar, T. Nagar, Guindy, Anna Nagar, Madipakkam, East Coast Road and in suburbs such as Pattabiram. In the Villivakkam area, the share autos ply after 10-30 p.m.

A study of their operations shows that the vehicles operate in congested corridors where the demand for public transport is high, but operation of bus services is poor.

Though they charge more than the bus fare, the share autos are preferred by commuters as they are available when they want.