Auto drivers continue to flout rules

Auto drivers continue to flout rules
Vijay Times

COMMUTERS COMPLAIN : "Every time I take a rick from the F orum Mall to Koramangala, I have to pay extra amount, be it whatever time of the day . The mall is only a few streets away from my home and the fare for the journey should ideally not exceed the minimum distance fare amount of Rs 12. However , auto drivers demand at least Rs 20," laments Aakash Burman, a resident of Koramangala.

Aakash is just one. There are many more like him in places like Koramangala, BTM Layout, T avarekere and Viveknagar who are tired of arguing and who don’t bother any more.

Many of those residing in these areas, where the frequency of some BMTC buses is low and at times, not available, have no other option but to agree to the demands of auto drivers.

"Not only do they charge more but at times, they just refuse to take us to certain dest i n a t i o n s . According to the rule, they should charge one-anda-half times only at night. However , they demand excess fare even during the day ," said Deepti Nair , a resident of BTM Layout, 16th Main.

While these are problems that commuters have been facing for long, new ones have also cropped up .

As Smitha J acob , a resident of T avarekere, pointed out : "Of late, there’s a new problem that we face here. At night or even during afternoons, if you are travelling alone in an auto rickshaw , the rick drivers have a tendency of taking another passenger along. The worst part is that they collect the full fare from both passengers and thus make double profit."

AUTO RICK SHAW DRIV ERS ARGUE : Asif, an auto rickshaw driver said: "During nights, we charge extra money because often, we do not get any passenger while coming back after dropping commuters at their destinations. After all, we cannot incur losses." "P eople who work in the IT and BT sectors are the ones who dwell in these areas. W e’ve found out that they pay extra, if we pester them enough. Why let go of an opportunity to make money ," asked Kashi, another auto rickshaw driver .

REMEDY : "Auto drivers are permitted to charge one-and-a-half times the fare sum only between 10 pm and 5 am. If a driver is found flouting this rule, then a complaint can be lodged against him," said Bangalore Auto and T axi Drivers’ Association president Somashekhar. On autos carrying more than one passenger and charging twice the rate, he said: "It is generally done on mutual consent. If the first passenger does not agree to share the seat with another person, the driver cannot force him to do so. If the driver compels or forces a passenger to share the seat with another passenger , then a complaint can be filed with the police. However , there is no law or rule in the association to stop this."

Old habits die hard, they say . Proving the adage unscrupulous demands despite fares having been hik such auto drivers, whose sole intention is to fleece commuters.