Autos running without meters in Noida to be fined from next week

NOIDA: Auto-rickshaws running without meters in Noida and Greater Noida would be fined from next week, officials in the transport department said. The crackdown follows complaints from residents that auto drivers were charging exorbitant rates in the absence of meters, even for short distances.
AK Pandey, the assistant regional transport officer (ARTO), said district magistrate Suhas LY had on Friday asked the transport department to ensure autos ran only on meters.

“There are around 17,000 autos for the city and almost 2,000 three-wheelers for NCR. We held a meeting with auto union members and asked them to fix the meters. From next week, we will start issuing challans,” Pandey said. The DM said, “I have directed the ARTO to ensure all autos have meters. We have received some complaints from people in this regard.”
Officials in the department said that in keeping with the rules, all autos must have meters and charge fares displayed in them. “Some drivers, however, have not been going by meters. We have planned to launch a crackdown against such autos,” an official said.
Residents said they were troubled by overcharging. A Greater Noida resident told TOI that even for a short distance, say 3km, she was charged between Rs 100-150. “Due to the absence of proper public transport, and especially in this harsh weather, auto drivers have been charging even higher. Residents face a lot of inconvenience because of this,” she added.
Rohit Singh, who had come from Punjab, was shocked to see autos running without meters. Standing outside Botanical Garden metro station, he said, “Noida is a rare place where autos operate without meters. I have been to many states, but have seen autos running on meters only. All the drivers here are overcharging for a small distance. I am booking a cab now.”
Auto union members blamed the rising fares on increasing CNG rates. Chaudhury Om Prakash, president of the auto union in Noida, said it was not logical for autos to run on the rates prescribed by the meters. “The price of CNG has increased sharply, but fares haven’t been revised since 2015. The fare for one kilometer in Noida is Rs 5.5. In Delhi, it is Rs 9.5,” he added.
In Delhi, auto drivers charge Rs 25 for one and a half kilometres and Rs 9.5 for every additional kilometre. They also charge 75 paise for waiting at signals. “In Noida, we do not have such a system. It is hard for auto drivers in this city to go by the meter rates,” Prakash said.
Currently, Noida autos are allowed to ply within a 16 km radius. Autos in Noida are not allowed to run in Greater Noida and vice-versa. The auto union has demanded that the transport department relaxes this restriction on movement.
Pandey said if the auto union submitted a request for fare revision, the department would look into it. “There is no plan for change in the permit system of autos. The restrictions will continue,” he added.