Police do a U-turn on auto fine norm

Two days after the Delhi Traffic Police decided to tighten the noose around errant autorickshaw drivers, they called off the idea realising “it wouldn't be feasible.”

Two days after the Delhi Traffic Police decided to tighten the noose around errant autorickshaw drivers, they called off the idea realising “it wouldn't be feasible.”

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In the wake of rising complaints against auto drivers, the police had on Wednesday decided to deliver the challans personally to defaulters instead of the earlier practice of sending them by post.

The challans were issued for refusal to ply, overcharging and misbehaving with commuters. However, on Friday, the traffic police withdrew its plan.

"The penalty for these violations is Rs. 100. We cannot use our resources to realise this paltry sum," Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic) told Hindustan Times on Friday.

Sources said the decision could also be attributed to the shortage of staff.

To address growing complaints against errant auto drivers, the traffic police in November 2011 had started SMS facility for the commuters wherein they could register complaints about the defaulters

Commuters refused an auto by the driver can register their complaint by typing REF (space) vehicle number (space) location (space) time of refusal and send it to 56767.

For overcharging, the commuters can write OVC, while for misbehaviour, MIS and for harassment, HAR. The SMS has to be sent to the same number. In 2012, the Delhi Traffic Police through its helpline had registered as many as 3,049 complaints of refusal, 232 complaints of overcharging and 164 complaints of misbehaving. “Challans were sent to all the errant drivers,” said the traffic police.