Mumbai: Rude auto drivers in Kandivli, Jogeshwari fear no one

Share autos ply five to six passengers in one rickshaw at Kandivli, and Jogeshwari, with the traffic cops not acting against them, citizens alleged. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Cab aggregators are not the only ones making the most of a bad situation. Autos in Kandivli arbitrarily hike their rates exactly when demand is high and supply low, which is during peak hours. This pricing is one of the most frustrating issues commuters face at Kandivli where auto drivers charge Rs 20 for a shared ride from Lokhandwala to Kandivli station (East) against the RTO-approved Rs 14.

The exorbitant fares apart, passengers also fear for their lives as drivers often cram around six passengers in one auto. Autos ply to various locations like Damu Nagar, Hanuman Nagar, Mahindra Company gate and Lokhandwala from Kandivli railway stations with the RTO having decided the fares to each destination. Officials have even put up a fare chart outside the railway station. Both commuters and auto drivers are aware of the authorised fares yet nobody follows it despite several complaints to authorities. The fare surges in the morning and evening peak hours.

Also Read: Mumbai: Rogue drivers thrive on chaos at Ghatkopar station

Share autos ply five to six passengers in one rickshaw at Kandivli, and Jogeshwari, with the traffic cops not acting against them, citizens alleged. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"There is a long queue for share autos at Lokhandwala circle every morning. No rickshaws agree to ply by the meter. The frequency of buses is also low and they are packed. So, we have to pay '20 to share a rickshaw with five other passengers," said a regular commuter. The traffic on Akurli Road on the way to the station is also bad, which ensures a travel time of 20 to 30 minutes for a distance of 1.5 km.

The auto-rickshaw drivers demand the high fare owing to this traffic menace, the commuter said. "But six passengers in one auto directly affects our safety," said Archana Jain, who takes a share auto to work every day.

Parking woes, too

Errant parking of autos, trucks, and heavy vehicles on both sides of the roads in the Lokhandwala area is another issue. It ends up blocking the already narrow lane. Local residents highlighted the lack of parking space near the railway station.

"If the railways or BMC provide parking facility at the station, many of us can take our two-wheelers. It will automatically reduce the burden on rickshaws and buses," said Dr Pratik Dedhia, another regular commuter on the route.

Auto drivers bully passengers

Jogeshwari residents share the pain of their fellow citizens from Kandivli. mid-day's visit to S V Road in Jogeshwari West revealed that traffic rules are flouted left, right and centre. There is an auto-rickshaw stand near McDonalds outside the station where passengers get share autos towards Behrambaug, Gandhi School and Anand Nagar but there is no official auto stand board.

The list of RTO-approved share rickshaw stands, however, has Jogeshwari West on it with the destinations stating Millat Nagar, Adarsh Nagar and Goregaon Bus Depot. The passengers must pay '16, '16 and '14 for the shared trip respectively, the RTO list says.

Auto drivers, however, charge '10 per passenger as they ferry four people in one rickshaw. From S V Road to Millat Nagar, there are around four traffic signals with traffic cops at each one, but they turn a blind eye to these drivers breaking rules.

At Behrambaug too, the picture was similar - four passengers in one auto. Sujit Sonkar, a local resident said that there were a number of illegal autos plying locally. "Everyone knows it, even the traffic police do but they don't take any action," he alleged.

Autos at Jogeshwari mid-day noticed also had headlights broken and dysfunctional meters. Some drivers did not wear uniforms while others did not have a badge.
"The drivers bully passengers and even abuse them if someone tries to argue. Many of them drive on the wrong side of the road during traffic jams putting lives at risk," said a regular commuter at Behrambaug.

Also Read: Mumbai: Traffic cops are of no help at Bandra?

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