TIRUCHY: Even as complaints of autorickshaw drivers fleecing passengers and setting up unauthorised stands abound, the police and transport department officials are wary of a number of such vehicles plying across the city without permit.
According to sources, about 8,955 autorickshaws operate within the limits of the city’s three regional transport offices (RTOs) with permit. Mentioning the number of autorickshaws plying the city having increased “exponentially” over the past few years, S Shagar, an advocate, said, “There is an urgent need to check whether these follow Motor Vehicles Act norms." On this, a city traffic police official said,
"As many autorickshaws do not have permit, they run on unauthorised routes in the city.” Such vehicles are particularly driven by youngsters, even by those under 18 years of age, the official added. Further, those autorickshaws registered in other districts can also be found operating in the city, the police said.
Other vehicle users suffer as a result of such unauthorised driving, Shagar added. This comes amid complaints of several unauthorised auto stands cropping up in the city and drivers demanding almost double the meter fare. While calls arise for the authorities concerned to impound autorickshaws found plying without permit and to have cases registered against such drivers, autorickshaw driver union members, however, dismissed the claims.
We ply the city with proper documents, they said. When contacted, a senior RTO official in Tiruchy said, "In the past three months, we have impounded about 15 autorickshaws riding without permit. We will take steps to undertake a special inspection in the city."