Auto drivers flout Covid norms in Noida

As the city started returning to normalcy after the second wave of Covid-19 subsided, several shared auto-rickshaw drivers, especially those plying from different metro stations, can easily be seen flouting Covid norms

As the city started returning to normalcy after the second wave of Covid-19 subsided, several shared auto-rickshaw drivers, especially those plying from different metro stations, can easily be seen flouting Covid norms. Residents alleged that the auto drivers are ferrying more passengers than the permissible limit, risking the lives of passengers.

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Dinesh Kumar, who resides in Sector 62, said that he joined his office in Sector 6 last week and now travels by a shared auto-rickshaw from Sector 19 metro station.

“It’s always a risk to travel on a shared auto-rickshaw. The driver usually allows six to seven passengers to occupy the rickshaw, flouting social distancing norm,” he said.

Nandini Sharma, who works as a receptionist at a private company in Sector 63 , said that she doesn’t have any other option but to travel by an auto-rickshaw. “I daily travel from Sector 62 metro station to D-block in Sector 63 by a shared auto-rickshaw. Since it saves money and time, passengers like us always prefer to take a shared auto ride. But the auto-rickshaws are crowded,” she said.

According to police, a shared auto-rickshaw is allowed to carry only four passengers in the wake of the pandemic.

Ganesh Prasad Saha, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said that though police take action against such violators, passengers should themselves realise the risk of getting infected and adhere to the Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

“The traffic police have fined more than 335,000 vehicles so far this year for flouting Covid-19 norms. We’ve also seized 1,430 auto-rickshaws. We will again take a review of the busy roads, on which the shared autos generally ply, to take action against violators,” he said.

Police said they are also witnessing a general rise in traffic rule violations among two-wheeler riders, besides overloading on auto-rickshaws.

“Across the city, the incidents of triple riding and not wearing helmets have increased. This has become more visible at night. But, it has been seen that during morning and evening hours, there is a mad rush of passengers to take autos. They seem indifferent now from the fear of any wave of Covid-19,” said Saha.