Transport department to get tough with autos, taxis over recalibration

Following the Bombay high court's directive, the transport department will start a special drive on Sunday against auto rickshaws and taxis (with electronic meters) that have failed to meet the December 15 deadline for recalibration.

Following the Bombay high court's directive, the transport department will start a special drive on Sunday against auto rickshaws and taxis (with electronic meters) that have failed to meet the December 15 deadline for recalibration.

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It has formed 10 special squads of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for conducting the drive and will take strict action against vehicles found without recalibrated meters.

Of the 1.5 lakh autos and taxis plying on city roads, around 83,000 are yet to recalibrate their meters according to the hiked fares. Of these, 13,000 are fitted with e-meters, and another 70,000 have mechanical meters. The high court had expressed displeasure over this and asked the transport department to file a status report by December 20.

"If autos and taxis with e-meters have not recalibrated their meters, their permits will be suspended for a minimum of seven days, or they will charged a penalty of Rs 700. This will be done as per the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority's (MMRTA) recent decision," an RTO official told HT on Friday.