State govt to draft policy on autorickshaw, taxi permits in four months

A comprehensive policy on autorickshaw and taxi permits will be drafted in the next four months, home minister RR Patil announced on Monday.

A comprehensive policy on autorickshaw and taxi permits will be drafted in the next four months, home minister RR Patil announced on Monday.

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Vijaykumar Deshmukh raised the issue of illegal passenger ferrying by private operators in Solapur in the legislative Assembly on Monday. He said that scarcity of autorickshaws with permits has led to the mushrooming of illegal vehicles in many parts of the state.

Leader of opposition in the Assembly Eknath Khadse asked the home minister about the government policy for release of new permits for autorickshaws and taxis. He said that cities are facing shortage of the vehicles in the wake of urbanisation and improved infrastructure. Patil said that the government has banned the issuing of new permits in metropolitan cities in 1997. He said that the permits in rural areas are issued depending on the requirement.

“It is true that cities are facing shortage of autos and taxis. We have decided to frame a policy to issue new permits. It will be announced in the next four months,” he said.