Date:01/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/01/stories/2009070150550200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Traffic police to monitor school vans, autos

Special Correspondent

— Photo: K.V.Srinivasan

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Shakeel Akhther launches cards for public to lodge complaints about violations by autorickshaw drivers in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: Firm action will be taken against autorickshaw and school van drivers found transporting passengers beyond the stipulated number, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Shakeel Akhther has said. Speaking here on Monday after distributing printed postcards which the public can use to lodge complaints about any violation by autorickshaw drivers, he said the number of students that autorickshaws were permitted to transport was five and in the case of school vans, it was 18.

School bus drivers should have a minimum of 10 years of driving experience. “We have formed special teams to enforce these norms strictly. In the last six months alone, at least 1.2 lakh cases were booked against autorickshaw drivers for various violations. We have printed 10,000 postcards that would be available in areas of public gathering such as shopping malls, post-offices, movie halls, bus-stands and railway stations,” he said.