No more changing autos at check nakas?

Transport Minister has asked RTO and traffic police to crack down on auto, taxi drivers who refuse to ferry passengers from suburbs to Thane, Kalyan and vice-versa

No more changing autos at check nakas?

Transport Minister has asked RTO and traffic police to crack down on auto, taxi drivers who refuse to ferry passengers from suburbs to Thane, Kalyan and vice-versa

HAVING to change auto rickshaws and taxis to go from the city's suburbs to places like Thane and Kalyan and vice-versa may soon be a thing of the past.

Traffic experts and drivers have, however, said that the proposal will not be an easy one to implement

For, the State Minister for Transport, Gulabrao Deokar, has taken cognisance of the issue and has asked officials from the transport department and the traffic police to ensure seamless connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

In a meeting held last week, the minister asked officials to take strict action against auto and taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers from the city to Thane and the other way around.

He pointed out that passengers are inconvenienced by having to change rickshaws at the check nakas.

"I have asked the department to post inspectors at check nakas and borders, where there is a crossover for commuters, who have to change their vehicles after the drivers refuse to ferry them further.
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The inspectors will study the problems and behaviour of drivers and take action against them if needed. Our aim is to ensure that the passengers are not inconvenienced due to the attitude of the drivers," said Deokar.

"I have also asked the officials to ensure that auto and taxi drivers charge a uniform tariff and not charge different tariffs according to their whims," he added.

Problems galore
Traffic experts and drivers, however, say the proposal will not be an easy one to implement.

"It is still unclear how the RTO and the traffic police will ensure that the auto and taxi drivers do not refuse passengers and do not stop at check nakas.

Auto and taxi unions have their own reasons for not wanting to ferry in each other's domains such as different tariff structures within the MMR and the possibility of creating bitter competition," said a traffic expert.

"Besides, an auto driver from Sion going to Thane may not find passengers to ferry on the way back," said an auto driver.