In a order to create safety and security of the passengers and to make all the ‘auto-rickshaw’ drivers/owners adhere to the guidelines and permit conditions laid by transport department and Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, a Delhi Court has asked Delhi Transport and Motor Licensing Officers (MLOs) to cancel the permit of the repeated offenders.
The transport department has been told to maintain a record of challans issued and number of times offence committed by the three seater Auto-rickshaws (TSR) drivers and owners. Thus, if a TSR user violate the norms once or twice, he/she will be suspended, if they will repeat it continuously the License will be cancelled and he will be banned from riding auto-rickshaws.
‘All the TSR should display backside of the driver seat, so that the passenger can easily note down the registration number and helpline number to seek help or complaint against the driver,” said transport department in the court.
The three-seater vehicles will have to display the helpline number and TSR Registration number inside the vehicle in compliance of guidelines of transport department. Further, the certificate of fitness for plying such vehicles would not be issued by the Department of the Transport, GNCTD ; unless the helpline number and TSR Registration number inside the TSR in compliance of guidelines of the Transport Department is displayed,” read the order issued by the transport department undersigned by Rajesh Kumar, MLO.
The main aim behind the strict rules was to create a safe travel for the passengers especially woman during night times.
“It is submitted with the approval of competent authority ‘that in addition to the earlier prosecution, 2,599 Challans have been issued against, 1,863 TSRs and out of which 712 have been impounded from April 1, 2019 to April 30 in Delhi area. The Enforcement teams are being regularly deployed to check the violations by the TSRs,” said the Transport department further in the status report submitted to the court.
“We take action and issue and renew license only if the TSR’s fulfill all the permit conditions. But there are auto-rickshaw drivers who temporarily write the helpline number and registrations number from any mechanic shops to get their license renewed. However, now the enforcement team has been asked to maintain record which will be useful for us to check the authentications of TSR user,” said a transport official requesting anonymity. There are about 1, 13,074 auto-rickshaws plying in the National Capital.
“It’s high time for the transport department to initiate process of cancellation of permits of unruly TSRs which are making mockery of permit conditions and traffic laws. Auto fares are due to be revised before the next assembly elections and public transport be made amenable to law and focus more on security of elderly, children and women by strengthening grievance redressal and strict punitive action,” said Advocate Mohit Kumar Gupta, who filed the PIL on this matter after he himself faced a problem while travelling in the Auto-rickshaw.