City has hundreds of share autos, but only 7 have permits, finds RTI
TNN | Jan 23, 2020, 04.17 AM IST
Madurai: Only seven of the hundreds of ‘share’ autorickshaws running in the city, have been registered with the regional transport offices in Madurai, a RTI (Right to Information) reply has revealed.
General secretary of the Madurai Consumer Protection Centre, G Muniasamy, had filed the RTI to find out how many share autorickshaws of the total 12,223 three-wheel autos operating with permits in Madurai, had permits.
TNN | Jan 23, 2020, 04.17 AM IST
Madurai: Only seven of the hundreds of ‘share’ autorickshaws running in the city, have been registered with the regional transport offices in Madurai, a RTI (Right to Information) reply has revealed.
General secretary of the Madurai Consumer Protection Centre, G Muniasamy, had filed the RTI to find out how many share autorickshaws of the total 12,223 three-wheel autos operating with permits in Madurai, had permits.
There are three regional transport offices - Madurai South, Madurai North and Madurai Central - in Madurai, which are authorised to provide numbers starting with TN 58, TN 59 and TN 64. The reply to the RTI on share autos says that Madurai north has one share auto plying with a permit, Madurai south six and Madurai central none.
Founder of Makkal Vizhipunarvu Trust K Hakkim, said the RTI shows that there are only 12,223 autorickshaws in the city, but there should be at least 25000 vehicles operating on the city roads. Many of them are three-wheel ‘share’ autos which carry more than the permitted number of three passengers.
“Just stand in front of the Periyar bus stand, where work is underway. There will not be less than 30 share autos at any given time,” he said. Hence, these unauthorised vehicles are posing a risk to the public who travel in them, he added.
The three-wheel autos have permits to carry only three passengers at a time. But, many of them have been altered in the name of share autos, with a two-tier back seat at two levels and they carry more than 10 passengers at a time. “They are cheaper than mini buses and more convenient as they stop wherever we tell them to. So, I take these share autos regularly for just Rs 10 for a four km journey,” said A Selvarani of Anna Nagar.
RTO officials told TOI that the share autos which were given permits were those with five seats, and permission to carry five passengers at a time. “Many so called share autos are violating the rules when they carry more than three passengers. We impound not less than 50 to 100 vehicles per day, but we are not able to control the menace,” they acknowledged.
Founder of Makkal Vizhipunarvu Trust K Hakkim, said the RTI shows that there are only 12,223 autorickshaws in the city, but there should be at least 25000 vehicles operating on the city roads. Many of them are three-wheel ‘share’ autos which carry more than the permitted number of three passengers.
“Just stand in front of the Periyar bus stand, where work is underway. There will not be less than 30 share autos at any given time,” he said. Hence, these unauthorised vehicles are posing a risk to the public who travel in them, he added.
The three-wheel autos have permits to carry only three passengers at a time. But, many of them have been altered in the name of share autos, with a two-tier back seat at two levels and they carry more than 10 passengers at a time. “They are cheaper than mini buses and more convenient as they stop wherever we tell them to. So, I take these share autos regularly for just Rs 10 for a four km journey,” said A Selvarani of Anna Nagar.
RTO officials told TOI that the share autos which were given permits were those with five seats, and permission to carry five passengers at a time. “Many so called share autos are violating the rules when they carry more than three passengers. We impound not less than 50 to 100 vehicles per day, but we are not able to control the menace,” they acknowledged.
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