Autorickshaws in Belagavi city will have to charge by the meter from August 15.
This was decided at the district Road Transport Authority (RTA) meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
S.B. Bommanahalli, Deputy Commissioner and chairman of the RTA, asked officials to strictly implement this across the city within the scheduled time limit. As per his orders, officials will have meetings with Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners’ Associations and fix a rate chart in a week. Officials of the Department of Weights and Measures, police, and Transport Department will fix the rate after discussion with auto drivers and publish the chart to receive feedback from the public.
Fixing meters would benefit both the drivers and passengers and bring in transparency, the he said.
Regional Transport Officer Shivanand Magdum informed the DC that of the over 6,000 autorickshaws in the city, 4,000 have meters. “However, passengers are not charged as per the meter. The fare is the result of an oral contract between the driver and the passenger,” the officer said.
Representatives of the auto drivers’ union urged the DC not to permit new autorickshaws as it would affect their livelihood. Officials informed them that licences of 126 autorickshaw drivers who had violated rules about ferrying schoolchildren had been suspended. According to rules, only six children can travel in a school auto. The DC asked officials to conduct surprise checks to keep tabs on violations.
He said officers would be deputed to the new assistant regional transport office in Ramdurg to ensure its effective functioning. RTO officials will list all vehicles that are older than 15 years and ensure that they are pollution norms compliant. If not, their movement would be restricted. The DC asked transport and police officials to start pre-paid auto service at the railway station and the central bus stand.
Police Commissioner B.S. Lokesh Kumar, who has magisterial powers in the city, asked officials to ensure that private vehicles do not pick up or drop passengers within 500 metres of the central bus stand.
Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said police officials would be able to take action against autorickshaws violating the limits of their permit areas. The permit numbers and other details should be prominently displayed in the autorickshaws, he said. He urged passengers to complain to the police in case of violation of permits or misbehaviour by drivers.