GUNTUR: Overloading in autos has become a common sight, and little do children in jam-packed autos know that their safety is at stake. Imposition of fines against erring autorickshaws and conduct of safety-related awareness programmes notwithstanding, brazen violation of the safety rules by many drivers is all too visible.
It is a common sight to see students jostling for space inside the jam-packed autos while going to their educational institutions and returning home. In many instances, students could also be seen seated precariously at the edges of the auto driver’s seat unaware of the dangers that their protruding limbs are exposed to.
In view of this blatant violations, the police have decided to adopt a zero tolerance against drivers, who would carry excess passengers. The Guntur urban police launched a special drive against the overloaded autos for the safety of passengers including the schoolchildren.
Guntur Urban SP Ch Vijaya Rao warned the autorickshaw drivers that they would take punitive action if they failed to follow the guidelines. He instructed the drivers to ensure that there was no overloading of schoolchildren in autos and sitting beside the driver seat and dangling of school bags along the side-mirrors of the vehicle.
Informing the parents to ensure that their children travel to school in less loaded over autos, the SP instructed the auto drivers to carry all the documents pertaining to the vehicle including insurance and fitness certificates and warned of seizure of vehicles.
Cops fine errant auto drivers
About 550 cases were registered against autorickshaw drivers for carrying excess passengers in January
Though autorickshaws are not permitted to transport more than five children, the rule continues to remain only on paper
The police have decided to adopt a zero tolerance against drivers, who would carry excess passengers