Look for display card before hiring an autorickshaw

Look for display card before hiring an autorickshaw

The Hindu

Traffic police introduce complaint cards for autorickshaw passengers

# Absence of display cards may mean that the driver does not hold a licence
# Every display card is given unique police number
# Passengers need to mention the police number in the complaint card
# Passengers can email their complaints to dcptrafficeast@gmail.com.

BANGALORE: The traffic police have urged the people to board only those autorickshaws that display the identity cards of the drivers.

The police have issued over 72,000 display cards to autorickshaw drivers who have a valid driving licence. Over 8,000 drivers are yet to get these cards. The cards contain personal details of the driver and they are issued in the interest of the people, the police said.

Travelling by an autorickshaw that does not have a Display Card is a risky proposition for the members of the public. If the driver misbehaves or commits a crime, the passenger will not be in a position to lodge a complaint with the police in the absence of any details about the driver. In the event of accidents, the passengers cannot claim insurance as the driver of the vehicle would in all probability be not holding a valid licence, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic - East) M.A. Saleem.

Mr. Saleem told The Hindu that compulsory display of cards would help passengers lodge complaints with the police easily. He said the police had introduced complaint cards in the first week of May and these cards are available at leading shopping malls and with 145 residents' associations. These cards are also available at all the traffic police stations.

It is enough if the passengers mention the police number (unique serial number given to each Display Card by the police) and the nature of the complaints in these complaint cards. The passengers can email their complaints to dcptrafficeast@gmail.com.

The police would issue notices to the errant driver and if the driver commits traffic offence thrice, then cancellation of his licence would be recommended, Mr. Saleem said. However, so far the police had not recommended cancellation of any driver's licence, Mr. Saleem said.

The drivers would be levied a fine of Rs. 100 for every offence. In the past 10 days, the traffic police have received eight complaint cards from the passengers. Notices have been issued to autorickshaw drivers concerned in all the eight cases.

About the refusal by drivers to go to a particular area, he said autorickshaws were public carriers. Drivers could not refuse to go to a particular area, he pointed out.

In the past one month, the police had received several complaints over phone about autorickshaw drivers refusing to ply to a particular area, but the complainants did not leave their address or contact numbers with the police. Therefore, the police could not take any action, sources said.

But the drivers have their own problems. If they feel that they would not get a return trip from a particular destination, they simply refuse.

In response to public demand for more pre-paid autorickshaw stands in various parts of the city, Mr. Saleem said: "We plan to come up with another 50 pre-paid autorickshaw stands in the next six months. But making them function round-the-clock may not be possible in the near future."

Waiting charge

About the meters sometimes showing extra fare, he said this would happen when an authorickshaw is stuck in a traffic jam and the engine is running. When the vehicle's engine is running and if the vehicles does not move for a specific time, then the fare changes (waiting charge), he added.