Mind your meters

It was raining heavily, and Mannu, a student of Vivekananda college, was getting late for home. Her home is 20kms away from her college and it was seven in the evening.

While she was trying to hire an auto rickshaw, she got aggravated by the behaviour of the rickshaw drivers who knew well how to make the best out of such ineffectuality of the passengers.

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She was vexed by the high fare demanded by the high nosed drivers who even bullied her for not being capable of producing the adequate fare, still willing to travel in an auto. Some, on the other hand refused to make a trip to the destination by saying “Humko us taraf nhi jana hai” (I don't have to go that way). This was the height of it.

This is not just the story of Mannu but million other passengers like her who battle daily with these monarchs on the roads. But now, they need not worry. The government is very soon to issue act to end the monopoly of these drivers.

If the joint effort by the Transport Department and Delhi Traffic Police proves to be a fruitful labour, they can drive away the problem from the streets of Delhi and keep you from exchanging heated words everyday with these errant autowallahs.

It's been emphasised to the government by a bench of Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice S. Murlidhar that the existing fine of Rs.100 is not working to bring these drivers on track and that it must be hiked to at least a “rational” Rs.500.

Lawyer Jyoti Singh who is to appear before the government explained how they are working in the direction to end the tyranny of the three-wheeler drivers. She said that they are set to increase the fines and urge a direction to the centre to amend the Motor Vehicles Act to this effect.

The government also mentioned that good behaviour and rule adherence have been made the permit conditions and a driver's permit can be cancelled if complaints of any kind of misbehaviour or fleecing are received against him.

The joint checking by the flying squads has already begun and will be intensified. Passengers can approach the police through Traffic Helpline at the telephone number 23010101 and SMS at 56767. The capacity of the helpline has been augmented to five lines.

So next time if an auto driver misbehaves, overcharge or refuses to carry you, don't panic. Delhi Traffic Police is there at your service.