Issue related to auto menace
in Panvel taken to High Court
By Dinesh Kamath
NAVI MUMBAI: Actually
for autos all over Maharashtra, plying by meters is mandatory. But the meter
system is not followed in autos in Panvel. This has provoked the auto commuters
to such an extent that they have taken the matter to the Bombay high court.
This is because if the auto drivers are given freedom to charge the commuters
any amount they like and not according to meter reading, then these drivers
straightaway charge exorbitant amount – for example, if the meter reading is Rs
20 they ask for Rs 50.
This type of behaviour by the auto drivers has provoked
two NGOs, the Citizens Unity Forum and Janjagran Grahak Manch, into filing a
PIL in the Bombay high court. The petition demands that auto drivers in Panvel
be forced to follow the meter system. City and Industrial Development
Corporation, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport, Police Commissionerate and RTO
have also been asked to cooperate to fetch justice for commuters who have to
part away with huge amount for a short distance. Even the State Government has
been requested to have a look into this major problem faced by Panvel
residents. These organizations have also been requested to start more bus
services in Panvel so that the residents over there do not have to try for
autos to transport them to their destinations. According to the commuters,
absence of enough bus services is what makes the auto drivers monopolize and
thus harass the commuters. These auto drivers don’t seem to fear even the city
authorities since in spite of innumerable complaints lodged with the concerned
authorities by harassed commuters, the auto drivers continue with their
arrogant behaviour.
Only a favourable high court verdict can for once solve
this problem which has been existing since a long time, feel the harassed commuters.
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