Massive drive against unruly auto drivers

It's time errant auto drivers leant to behave or be ready to face heat of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and the city police for their unruly ways. The RTA and the city police have stepped up efforts to tame the auto drivers after Hindustan Times brought forth instances of indisciplined auto drivers in its 10-part series.

It's time errant auto drivers leant to behave or be ready to face heat of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and the city police for their unruly ways. The RTA and the city police have stepped up efforts to tame the auto drivers after Hindustan Times brought forth instances of indisciplined auto drivers in its 10-part series.

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Ever since a massive drive has been launched to tame the errant auto drivers. They have challaned nearly 600 autorickshaws on various counts on Friday and another 267 were challaned on Thursday.

But the two authorities seem to be oblivious to each others' initiatives. Commissioner of police Alok Mittal said that he had no information about any such initiative by the RTA. "I am not aware of any such initiative by the transport authority," said Mittal.

The commissioner of police said, "I had instructed ACPs Vishnu Dayal and Ravinder Tomar to carry out a survey to ascertain the number of auto drivers who do not wear proper uniforms and don't put up badges bearing their names. Nearly 60-70% were found to have complied with these norms, while the rest have been given 14 days' time to put their acts together."

Regional Transport Authority sources also said that they too had been impounding autorickshaws for violation of dress code. Nearly 100 autos had been impounded by the RTA in the past one week.

"It is the result of our concerted efforts that most of the auto drivers have come to see logic in wearing uniforms," said an RTA official, adding, "We do not just challan the autos, like the traffic police, but impound them to teach the erring drivers a lesson."

City residents, on the other hand, believe that the two authorities need to work in tandem. "Their joint efforts will bring better results," said Sushil Khanna, secretary of Ardee City RWA, adding, "they need to work as a team".