Auto driver refusing to ply? Home guard will come to Mumbaiites’ rescue, says govt

The state government is planning to deploy a squad of home guard constables to help commuters, transport minister Diwakar Raote said

Do you find it difficult to hail autorickshaws or taxis daily? There may be some help on the way. The state government is planning to deploy a squad of home guard constables to help commuters out, state transport minister Diwakar Raote said on Friday.

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Besides that, he said the department has also set up a toll-free helpline number for passengers to register complaints against drivers. It will be mandatory for the auto and taxi drivers to display the number inside their vehicles.

Commuters often complain that autorickshaw and taxi drivers refuse to ferry passengers to their preferred location. Raote said that his department will ask the Home department to allow them to employ the services of home guard constables at certain spots.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Anand Thakur raised a calling attention motion on the issue in the upper house of the state legislature, and said, “While the number of autorickshaws and taxis are increasing in the city, so is the arrogance of the drivers who block the roads outside railway stations, and only ferry passengers to locations where they want to go,”said Thakur.

“Passengers can also call on the toll-free helpline (1800-220-110). Similarly, passengers can register complaints on 62426666 as well,” he added.

According to Raote, there are 1,83,376 registered autorickshaws and 60,176 registered taxis in Mumbai, and the flying squad of the RTOs carry out drives to nab drivers who ply without documents, badges, or fleece passengers with rigged meters.