More than 30,000 autos are plying without permits, union tells court

There are around 30,000 illegal autorickshaws plying without permits in Mumbai and the government is not taking any action about this, the Mumbai autorickshaw union, led by Sharad Rao, told the Bombay high court on Monday.

The union added that the one-member Hakim committee set up by the state government last month to look into tariff revision is an “eye-wash” and sought the court’s direction for the union to participate in a discussion with the committee.

Senior counsel Anil Sakhare told the court that a federation of auto unions, controlling 7,50,000 autos from across the state, recently passed a resolution laying down 15 demands which needs to be considered by the government and the committee before deciding on the fixing of tariff.

Assistant government pleader Nitin Deshpande told the court that the committee is seized of the matter and the government was considering their demands.

The auto unions have demanded that e-meters be optional, instead of compulsory as of now. The demands also include considering the rise in essential commodities and increase in the cost of the auto business before recommending a fare hike, allowing school students to be transported in autos, stopping autos from plying without permits, making share-auto schemes available in all parts of Mumbai.

Hearing the case, a division bench of justice DD Sinha and justice VK Tahilramani has allowed the petitioner to participate in a discussion with the committee to consider the demands made by the union.

The judges also said that the resolution can be made as a representation before the government to consider the demands of the union.

The court observed that these are policy decisions that have to be taken by the government.

The court accepting the statement made by the state has disposed of the petition by directing the committee and government to consider the demands (through its resolution dated April 9, 2012) within three months from Monday.