04 May,2010 10:13 AM IST | | Team MiD DAY
Aggressive auto drivers oppose campaign, argue with commuters in bid to escape police action
On the second day of the campaign launched by MiD DAY and Radio One along with the traffic police and the Regional Transport Office (RTO), 15 autorickshaw drivers were booked.
Even during rush hour, the drivers refused to ply or brazenly asked for extra money.
MiD DAY reporters chose to check on ST Stand and railway station at Shivaji Nagar from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm as a large number of autorickshaws ply there during the peak hours. Despite the presence of traffic police officer just a few feet away, 13 rickshaw drivers refused fare and two asked for more money from passengers.
When the rickshaw drivers were caught by the police, they tried giving lame excuses to escape. A few reasoned that they were in a hurry to go to school to get children, when actually summer vacations are going on. One driver excused that his mother was sick and he wanted to reach home at the earliest.
In the morning, 15 auto drivers were booked at Shivaji Nagar ST Bus Stand, Deccan Gymkhana and J M Road. Another 14 were found in the evening for refusal-of-fare, wrong uniform and also rude behaviour. A few alert citizens expressed their support to the campaign.
Dramatic day
| As you say: A driver finally admits his mistake before a plainclothes police officer in Deccan |
The rickshaw drivers near Shivaji Nagar ST Stand virtually gheraoed the reporters at the Deccan Gymkhana Branch office near Modern College after action was taken against them. They opposed the idea of catching them when they refused the fare. They argued that they refused fare as the official rickshaw stand was nearby.
Here's what we found
Reporter: Vivek Sabnis, Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan and Shweta Raut
Place: Shivaji Nagar ST Bus Stand
Time:u00a0 11.30 AM-12.30 PM
Offenders caught: 13
A rickshaw driver was asked to go to Khadki, but he asked for extra Rs 20 after initial hesitation. Police Naik Anjum Shaikh booked him overcharging.
Other drivers refused to go to Kasarwadi and Mangala theatre and were booked.
One was booked for refusing to go to Khadki. Reminder that as per the law he could not refuse any passenger, he said, "It is my wish. I will go wherever I want to."
u00a0
Reporter: Vivek Sabnis, Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan and Shweta Raut
Place: J M road and Deccan gymkhana
Time:u00a01 pm-2.30 pm
Offenders caught: 3
One driver said that he would charge extra fare as because of one-way traffic he would have to travel extra distance and then take a U-turn. Two drivers were booked for refusal, and one was booked for overcharging.u00a0
Reporter: Shree Lahiri, Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan and Shweta Raut
Place: M G Road
Time: 5.20 pm-5.45 pm
Offenders caught: 9
Auto drivers flatly refused to go long distances like Vishrantwadi, Wagholi, Viman Nagar. They also refused to ply short distances to Inox on Bund Garden Road and Westend. A few asked for extra money saying they had to travel a long distance. Many drivers were not in their uniforms. One driver said, " I am the owner. You have no right to tell me anything. I will wear what I want. Who are you? You can write my number." He sped away.
Bystanders like Arun David, a retired defense personnel, said, "What you're doing is right. It's for the betterment of society. You have my full support."
Reporter: Shree Lahiri, Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan and Shweta Raut
Place: Bata chowk
Time:u00a05.45 pm-6pm
Offenders caught: 3
A foreigner, Karina S V, who resides in Koregaon Park, was getting off from an auto that she had hired from Koregaon Park. She said that the rickshaw drivers usually overcharge foreigners. "But now I am well aware about this as I stay here. I have the rate card and also know how to calculate the meter reading," she said.
Another passenger Shaji Balakrishnan, a manager in an IT company, said, "Sometimes the rickshaw drivers misbehave, specially if they have to go a short distance."
u00a0
Reporter: Shree Lahiri, Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan and Shweta Raut
Place: Indira Gandhi Chowk
Time: 6.05 pm to 6.30 pmu00a0
Offenders caught: 2
A driver refused and another was not wearing the right uniform. Soon, a battalion of auto drivers, accompanied by a policeman arrived and said, "We heard there are some people who are taking down numbers and questioning auto drivers."
But when the reporters told them about the campaign in association with the police, Hawaldar Gyaneshwar Popal Ghat seemd happy and said, "This is good,u00a0citizens should be made aware about such problems."
A Boxwalla, a serviceman, said, "At night when I have to go to Fatima Nagar, they ask for even three times the actual fare or more."u00a0
To register your complaint Call 020-26208225
This is an exclusive number given by traffic police to MiD DAY readers to register refuse-to-fare complaints.
You can also send us your complaints at punemail@mid-day.com.
To send in your complaints by SMS: Type RTO, followed by space, your complaint and send it to 59994.
For example: RTO autorickshaw number XYZ is charging extra fare from Swargate to Pune Station.
