Chennai: With a number of autos being impounded on the charge of meter violations, parking these autos has become a problem for the authorities. There are instances where autos are left in the RTO offices for months at a stretch. Presently, joint checks by teams of transport officials and traffic police are on, as well as a separate initiative by the city police. In the past seven days, nearly 300 autos have been impounded. Top officials with the traffic department say, “Space has become a problem for parking the impounded autos. Autos impounded during joint checks are taken to bus depots and the others are taken to the nearest police stations.”
Transport officials say, “We are using a depot at Pallavan Salai to keep the impounded autos. But space is shrinking as we have nearly 100 autos here. Bus depots in Anna Nagar and Vyasarpadi are also being used presently.” Questionable papers maintained by owners of autos has led to many owners not taking back the autos, say official sources. Ten autos have been lying for the last six months at the central RTO with owners not coming forward to claim them, they said. Transport commissioner T. Prabhakara Rao, said, “A large place has been indentified in Sholinganallur for keeping these autos. Usually, autos are taken on lease from financers; once they are impounded, the driver gets away, finding another financer, and the auto is abandoned. Once no one comes forward to claim the vehicle, we auction it.” Officials say, “If no one comes forward to claim the autos, we auction the vehicle, but it involves elaborate paper work. Till then, we are forced to keep them.”
Auto stand drivers work as cartels
While Chennaiites worry that autorickshaws never switch on the meters, people in the suburbs and outskirts of the city have to contend with auto cartels. Yes, stand autos fix their own fares and scoff at people who demand that the meters be switched on. Rohan Rinaldo, a resident of Tambaram, says, “Here auto drivers are arrogant, with hardly anyone using the meter. The situation is such you will not be able to get an auto if you insist on their using the meter. My home is 3 km from Tambaram station. The auto drivers ask for a flat Rs 100 where I would be paying just Rs 37 if the meter had been on.”
Rohan also alleges that authorities are complicit with the drivers, as observed in front of MCC college, Tambaram. Auto stands seem to be unregulated space with authorities concentrating checks on malls and railway stations. Divya Venugopal, a resident of Pursawalkam, says, “I take autos every day but it seems to getting worse by the day. We are forced to put up a fight every day for something that should by done by rule.” She adds, “There is auto stand at the end of Padavettamman Koil street with 5 to 8 autos standing but none will switch on the meters. Unless you say that you are not familiar with the route, they will not oblige.”
Top officials with the transport department add, “Twenty special teams with motor inspectors and police personnel have been formed which will look at auto stands where drivers tend to be rude.” Tom Michael, a resident of Nungambakkam, says, “I concede there are checks being done by officials. I saw one at Central station but it is not enough. Just right inside, there were autos drivers haggling with customers from outside the state and refusing to switch on the meters. They had fixed fares.”
