The traffic police continued their drive against erring auto-rickshaw drivers, leving fines on those carrying more than the specified number of passengers, across the city on Thursday.
In a span of six days, police teams have booked 630 cases against erring auto-rickshaw drivers. The traffic police had initiated a special drive against six motor vehicle violations including overloading of auto-rickshaws, which is a common sight in most areas of the city. Traffic police teams have been conducting drives at around 33 identified places covering all major junctions in the city police station limits.
According to police, most of the overloaded auto-rickshaws were found in Gajuwaka, followed by Kancharapalem, Gopalapatnam and Dwaraka Nagar.
“Most of the auto-rickshaws were found to be ferrying construction workers or other labourers. In some areas, 10 to 14 passengers were being ferried in a vehicle, which is a serious violation. Some auto-rickshaw drivers are not only violating COVID-19 protocols, but also risking the lives of passengers by ferrying them in a jampacked vehicle and driving at high speed,” said a traffic police officer involved in the enforcement drive.
ADCP (Traffic) Ch. Adinarayana said that as per norms, only three people are allowed to travel in an auto-rickshaw apart from the driver. Police are imposing fines of ₹100 per head on every extra-passenger .
Loudspeakers
A week ago, the traffic police conducted a meet with auto-rickshaw union leaders and explained to them about the sound pollution being caused by the usage of high-pitch loudspeakers in auto-rickshaws and the inconvenience created to passengers. While most of the drivers removed the loudspeakers from their vehicles, the traffic police teams are organising a special drive and are removing them from vehicles that still have them.
“In most of the cases, auto-rickshaw drivers plying in the city limits are not using any loudspeakers. But many from suburban limits are using them. They claim that passengers who board their vehicles ask for music to be played in order to pass the time as it takes at least an hour to to travel to their destination. However, we have counselled them and removed the speakers,” said Inspector of Traffic (Dwaraka sub-division limits) Ch. Shanmukha Rao.
