Now, drivers can be fined for not recalibrating e-meters

The transport department has made driving a vehicle without a recalibrated e-meter an offence.

The transport department has made driving a vehicle without a recalibrated e-meter an offence.

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The driver of an auto or a taxi with non-recalibrated e-meter will have to pay a fine of Rs700 and an additional fine of Rs50 for a day after January 31, according to the resolution passed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority.

The island city has 359 taxis with non-recalibrated e-meters. Vikas Pandkar, officer, Wadala regional transport office (RTO), said, “Earlier, there was no law to penalise drivers for not recalibrating meters. We had to book them for having faulty meters. With the resolution, we can now book them directly for not recalibrating meters.”

Officials from the eastern and western suburbs claimed that all vehicles with e-meters in their jurisdiction are recalibrated. “Drivers demand hike in fares, but don’t recalibrate their meters in time. The resolution will help us book the driver, even if his documents are clear,” said Madhukar Jadhav, regional transport officer, Tardeo. On Thursday, the Tardeo RTO held seven taxi drivers for using non-recalibrated e-meters.

So far, 34,552 of the 41,000 taxis and over 85,000 of the 98,000 three-wheelers have been recalibrated.