HYDERABAD: Auto-rickshaws overloaded with students have raised serious safety concerns among parents and young children in Hyderabad. According to transport authorities, a three-wheeler can legally carry a maximum of five children under the age of 14 or three adult passengers. However, violating these rules, many autos are carrying six to twelve children, alarming parents and commuters alike.
Transport department data accessed by TNIE shows that between January 1 and July 10, 2025, a total of 1,903 autorickshaws were checked and fines amounting to Rs 89.64 lakh were collected for violations. In Telangana, 1,323 Vehicle Check Reports (VCRs) were issued with a fine of Rs 66.84 lakh, while in the GHMC area, 580 VCRs were issued and Rs 22.8 lakh collected.
Overloading is just one concern. Sources said auto drivers often drop students before approaching traffic signals to avoid being fined, only to pick them up again after crossing the junction. The issue came to light when a complaint about an overloaded school auto in a Malkajgiri residential colony prompted action by transport authorities.
Meanwhile, parents also flag the high transportation fees collected by schools. They say that school buses cost nearly Rs 15,000 to Rs 17,000 per year per child, while autos charge around Rs 400–Rs 700 per month. “These autos are like moving hazards,” said Suresh, a resident of Nallagutta in Secunderabad. “One sudden brake or pothole and children could be seriously hurt.” But he added, “Many of us feel stuck. The school bus costs nearly Rs 17,000 a year. The auto charges Rs 400–Rs 600 a month. That’s the reality for most working families.”
General secretary of the Telangana Auto and Motor Union, M Dayanand, raised concerns over the lack of an effective grievance redressal mechanism. “There are over 3.5 lakh autos in the city, but only 40–50% have fitness certificates,” he said. “The RTO helpline, Dial 1074, hardly works. People can’t even report violations easily.”
Apart from standard three-seater autos, share-autos which are meant to carry seven passengers are ferrying 12–15 people, packed in like sardines.
Adding to parental anxiety are reports of school bus drivers caught driving under the influence of alcohol, prompting some to avoid even official transport.