GUNTUR: The practice of overloading auto-rickshaws continues unchecked in Guntur district despite multiple road accidents in the past one year. Such activities are particularly rampant in small towns and rural areas, which connect National and State highways. Multiple enforcement drives undertaken by the police and transport departments from time to time have failed to restrain passenger overloading.
Auto-rickshaws are mostly used by farmworkers and students of rural areas to reach their destination for livelihood and education purposes. Several seven-seater auto- rickshaws ply on National Highways 16 and 216 between Tadepalli to Chilakaluripet and Repalle to Bapatla.
The vehicles can also be seen on State Highways SH-2 from Guntur to Macherla, SH-45 from Guntur-Chilakaluripet via Narasaraopet and on SH-89 from Vinukonda to Macherla. An engineer named K Devender, said that when a vehicle is loaded with passengers or goods higher than the permissible limit, the chassis, axle and wheels of the vehicle may not sustain the pressure. However, auto-drivers flout safety rules regularly and stuff more than 15 passengers in a vehicle meant for seven, including the driver.