In a bid to rein in errant autorickshaw drivers running their three-wheelers without permits, the Transport Authority of Millennium City has decided to crack the whip on them. The District Administration, on Tuesday, made it mandatory for all autorickshaws to procure a valid permit to ply on roads from January 1 onwards.
According to senior officials, those autorickshaws which do not have a valid permit can get the permits from the Secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA) before the said date. But, January 1 onwards no autorickshaw will be allowed to ply on roads without a permit. At present, more than 18,000 autorickshaws are plying on Gurgaon roads - of which most do not have permits, causing loss of revenue to the Government.
The decision was taken in a meeting with Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon Shekhar Vidyarthi, City Police Commissioner Alok Mittal, Secretary (RTA) Dalbir Singh, Joint Commissioner of Gurgaon Traffic Police Bharti Arora and other senior officials.
“From January 1 onwards, the Gurgaon Police and Secretary RTA would start challaning autos without permit. If challaned the first time, the fine is Rs 2,000, if challaned a second time for the same offence, the fine is Rs 5,000. Gurgaon Police would be checking Driving licence and Police Verification Certificate of the driver, Registration Certificate of the Vehicle and the permit from January 1,” said Dalbir Singh.
“Those autorickshaws plying without any of the documents will be challaned. Those who do not have permits can avail them during office hours on any working day,” said Alok Mittal, Gurgaon Police Commissioner.
In the meeting, the officials also decided that the permits of autos, which are old and do not have annual road worthiness or fitness certificate, would not be further renewed as these cause pollution. At the time of obtaining annual fitness or road worthiness certificate from Secretary RTA, the owner of the autos will have to provide an undertaking that he has all the details of the driver deputed on the auto and his credentials have been verified from police.
Bharti Arora , the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), insisted on installing reflectors on all vehicles, including autos and directed the traffic police officials to motivate motorists to get these installed on their vehicles. She also insisted on the installation of fare meters on autos similar to those plying on Delhi roads. “We usually slap challans on more than 600 autorickshaws on a daily basis,” added Arora.