Andheri, Borivali RTOs launch helpline against share auto/taxi menace

Two Regional Transport Offices in Mumbai have launched a helpline for citizens to complain against erring autorickshaws and taxis in their region. This comes after a campaign by the Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union and the publication of articles highlighting the issue of unauthorised shared autorickshaw stands. The RTO has also started sending surprise flying squads to various auto rickshaw stands to take action against erring drivers. The RTO helpline numbers have been posted on autos and citizens can also send complaints via WhatsApp.

MUMBAI: Two Regional Transport Offices (RTO), in Andheri and Borivali, have launched a helpline for citizens to complain against erring autorickshaws and taxis in their region.

HT Image

The development comes after HT had published a series of articles in a campaign titled “Sharing Troubles” against the menace of share autorickshaws and taxis across the city.

The Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union in July had identified 86 unauthorised shared autorickshaw stands in the western suburbs of the city.

With the launch of these two new lines, all the four RTOs, that is MH01, MH02, MH03, and MH47 have started their helpline for complaints about autorickshaw and taxi problems.

Following HT’s campaign, the RTO has also started sending surprise flying squads across various auto rickshaw stands and has been acting against erring autorickshaw and taxi drivers. The action by the squad is in coordination with the Mumbai Traffic Police.

Some of the places where the RTO launched its flying squad include Kurla, Kandivali, Mulund.

Ashok Pawar, who heads the Andheri and Borivali RTOs, said: “We have launched the helpline numbers for citizens to complain against share autorickshaws. They can also send their complaint on WhatsApp on this number.”

The RTOs have also started pasting stickers on the autos mentioning the email address and the phone numbers of the RTO helpline.

Earlier this month, HT reported extensively on commuters being forced to travel by the share auto and taxi in their last mile commute as they do not have a choice. Following this , Vivek Bhimanwar, Maharashtra Transport commissioner had said that they will be sending flying squads across the city.

Shashank Rao, president of Mumbai Autorickshaw Taximen’s Union had said the only solution to this menace is regularisation of the share auto stands.