NEW DELHI: Witnessing a number of complaints from the commuters and auto-rickshaw drivers, the Delhi government on Wednesday decided to scrap the practice of road try test after re-calibration of auto fare meters.
Earlier, the auto-rickshaw drivers had to travel all the way to city’s Nazafgarh area for a road try test once they updated the new auto-fare metre at the Wazirpur lab.
“Following the orders of the chief minister, the transport department decided to discontinue the practice of road try test policy. With this initiative, auto-rickshaw drivers will be able save time and cost and will recalibrate the metre on time without any delay,” said Imran Hussain, minister of consumer affairs, adding that the re-calibration of meters will “shortly” begin.
The auto-rickshaw drivers have for long been demanding that the road try test at the Najafgarh location proved to be inconvenient to them and it was also causing a substantial loss of a day’s earning.
They have been requesting to making the re-calibration process smooth and convenient, if possible to be conducted at a central location.
The government has now decided to conduct the simulated road test at the Taxi Meter Unit of Legal Metrology Department located at Wazirpur Industrial Area to save time and cost.
Besides, the government has issued an advisory to the manufacturers, repairers and dealers of auto-rickshaws fare meters to charge Rs 400 only per meter for undertaking software up-gradation post revision of auto fares.
Recalibrated metres soon
After the AAP government increased auto-rickshaw fares on June 18 auto drivers have been charging the new rates by manually calculating the journey fares as their meters were yet to be re-calibrated.