BENGALURU: On an average, more than 2,000 cases are booked against autorickshaw drivers in a day in the city. Bengaluru Traffic Police have booked over 6.8 lakh cases against them this year, till November.
Over one lakh autorickshaws ply in Bengaluru. Till November, 6,81,467 cases have been booked against auto drivers, which is less compared to 2014, when 8,15,507 cases were booked against them. The number comes up to 60,000 cases a month and 2,000 cases a day.
M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said the offences include refusal to hire, taking passengers on longer routes, demanding excess fare, not displaying ID card, driving without wearing uniform, rash driving, wrong parking and many others. “Apart from our officials catching hold of them, we have been getting complaints from Public Eye, an initiative through which the public file online complaints,” he added.
Pre-paid auto stands
At present, there are 13 pre-paid autorickshaw stands across the city. “We are coming up with seven more stands for public convenience,” Saleem said. They are aimed at addressing the complaints about auto drivers’ refusal to hire.
“In a city like Bengaluru, we need at least 50 pre-paid auto stands. All of the stands are currently in the core areas of the city. We need more on the outskirts,” said Swaroopa Venkatesh, a private employee.
‘Police harrass us’
Srinivas (name changed), who has been driving autorickshaws for the past 12 years, said the police unnecessarily harass them.
“They expect bribes from us. Sometimes, even if we are waiting at a non-parking zone, they register a case,” he alleged.
Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Hosakerehalli, said, “When I need to go back home to Hosakerehalli, I cannot take a passenger to KR Puram. I leave home at 8 am. I have a family to take care of!”