KOCHI: The city police have decided to act tough against errant auto drivers in the wake of mounting complaints of rude behaviour, overcharging and plying without metres and city permits. Besides the rude behaviour towards commuters, the autorickshaws flout other rules, the major one being plying without metres. Those who do have meters in their vehicles never go by the meter rate. Many others have meters just for the sake of having them.
“The Kochi City police have begun initiating legal steps against errant auto drivers after taking the vehicles into custody and cancelling the permit. A case will be registered against the driver too,” the City Police Commissioner said in a release. Express had reported the women in the city don’t find autorickshaws a safe mode of conveyance especially at night since the drivers are often under the influence of liquor.
According to the commuters, there is no way to ascertain whether the driver has criminal antecedents. At least provision should be made to display the informa
tion such as his name, phone number and emergency contact numbers, they have demanded. Police officers said stringent action will be initiated against haphazard parking, which causes several hours- long traffic snarls in the city. The vehicles violating the parking rules will be towed away using recovery vans and legal action will be initiated.
The public can register complaints against autorickshaws on 0484 2394218 (Kochi City Traffic West police station), 9497980451 or 100 (Control Room). They can send complaints via email on citrawekm.pol@kerala.gov.in or WhatsApp on 7559899100.