The three-wheeler owners with legal permits within the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits who were expected to paint their autos green by March 25 have failed to abide by the order of the Jharkhand High Court (HC) issued in December 2015. Though the traffic police personnel have initiated the drive from April 1 to keep track on all illegal autos the drive seems to be ineffective as several auto drivers are recklessly breaching the set norms.
Only few autos so far have been painted in green colour among all those autos which are plying heedlessly in the city. Although, the auto owners have been given the deadline to complete the work within stimulated time frame but even after the one month drive, it seems that the auto drivers are reluctantly violating the set guidelines as most of them have failed to paint their vehicles in prescribed time.
“We are continuing the drive and the department is serious about the process. In the first phase, approximately 1000 autos have been coloured and the department along with traffic personnel will initiate the drive again. No extension will be given to any auto associations as Jharkhand HC has already set the time to achieve the desirable target,” informed, Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Barwar.
To check all those autos which are although painted in the prescribed colour format but does not have legal permits with them is a major hurdle to restrain for the authorities. “We are checking all the autos, as many as 150 autos have been seized and fined, in April. Due to scorching heat, presently we are not able to continue the drive but as per the orders, soon all autos will be coloured and the drive will continue in the coming days too,” said, Traffic DSP, Dilip Xalxo.
The colour code has been suggested under Section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and it has been implemented accordingly. According to the guidelines, those auto drivers, who ply outside RMC jurisdiction but within Ranchi district limits are suppose to paint the auto body of their vehicles black and yellow. Pink auto for women, would not have to change their stipulated colour.
A bench of Chief Justice Virender Singh and Justice PP Bhatt had issued the direction after hearing a PIl against rising pollution level and erratic traffic in December 2015. At present, there are approximately, 2,335 auto rickshaws with legal permits in Ranchi district.