RTO gets 3 new test tracks to check recalibrated meters

Under pressure to complete recalibration work on about 1.5 lakh meters of city autorickshaws and taxis by November 24, transport authorities have identified three new test tracks at Worli, Anik depot and Borivli to conduct a field test of meters. Kailash Korde reports.

Under pressure to complete recalibration work on about 1.5 lakh meters of city autorickshaws and taxis by November 24, transport authorities have identified three new test tracks at Worli, Anik depot and Borivli to conduct a field test of meters.

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With only 30 days left and only about 10% of the meters recalibrated, RTO officials are expecting a huge rush from November onwards.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) had set November 24 as the deadline to complete meter recalibration of about 1,05,000 autos and 44,000 taxis, including more than 3,500 cool cabs in the city.

The regional transport office (RTO) currently has three test tracks for testing recalibrated meters- at Worli dairy, Andheri-Lokhandwala complex and Ghatkopar. The test track at Worli is used by the Tardeo RTO, while the Lokhandwala and Ghatkopar test tracks are used by the Andheri and Wadala RTOs respectively.

The transport department had planned to hold a few camps to carry out recalibration under a single roof, but failed to identify a suitable space.

MB Jadhav, transport officer at the Tardeo RTO said, "The Aarey dairy has agreed to make available the vacant land in its premises for us to use as a test track." Bharat Kalaskar, deputy transport officer, Andheri RTO said that now, autos and taxis from Borivli and beyond will not need to reach Andheri for calibration. "The Anik depot test track will be used only when there is heavy rush at the existing track," said a senior official of the Wadala RTO.