The officials of Regional Transport Office (RTO) still seem to be in a state of sluggishness regarding the illegal operation of vikrams in the State capital. Despite the recent stringent strike of the local city buses union, no action has been taken by the RTO officials in this respect yet.
According to the President of Parade Ground, Parwal, Premnagar City Bus Union, Vijay Vardhan Dandriyal, out of 1500-1600 vikrams operated in the city, only 783 vikrams are valid permit holders and rest are operated illegally.
Dandriyal also claimed that RTO has not given any positive response in this respect yet and is in no mood to take any action against this illegal practice of the vikram operators.
Flouting the permit rules, most of the vikrams in the city are being operated following the permit of auto rickshaws. Generally the auto-rickshaw’s operators are given booking permits which allows them to carry passengers on booking.
There charges start after `17per km and they are given permit of carrying passengers on 3+1 basis while there are some different norms especially meant for the vikram operators. As per the permit norms of the vikrams, it can’t carry passengers on booking. None of the vikrams in the city are following the vikram norms meant for it.
However, most of the vikrams in the town are also being operated following the same stage carrier permit, which are meant especially for the city buses, stressed Dandriyal.
Blaming the RTO officials for all the existing irregularities regarding the illegal vikram operation, Dandriyal stated that this only depicts the increasing level of corruption at the transport department as officials are not even bothered to take action against these illegal practices.
He said that when the union members presented the issue infront of the ARTO (Administration), Sandeep Saini, he said that he can’t
do much into this matter and only the senior officers
have the authority to redress the issue.
Meanwhile, the vikram operators are also not issued any route permit form the RTO still they are operating their vehicles as per
their wish.
However, Dandriyal also mentioned that the union members would soon meet the district magistrate to state their grievances with a hope of early redress.