As word of autorickshaw campaign spreads in Kothrud, drivers behave for a while, but go back to refusing fares behind traffic cops' backs
As word of autorickshaw campaign spreads in Kothrud, drivers behave for a while, but go back to refusing fares behind traffic cops' backs
On the fourth day of the MiD DAY and Radio One autorickshaw campaign in association with the traffic police and Regional Transport Office, the police booked 16 errant auto drivers.
No sooner had the day's campaign kicked off in Kothrud in the morning, the message that a few auto drivers were caught by the traffic police, with the help of our reporters, for refusing passengers spread to other auto drivers in the area. That made them alert, but did not stop them from refusing passengers.
Three traffic police officers were on the spot with the reporters, who were standing at a little distance to check if auto drivers refused to ferry them.u00a0
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| BEHAVE! A constable warns a rickshaw driver who argues with him. PIc/nikhil ghorpade |
After seven rickshaw drivers were booked for refusal of fare and overcharging, other drivers promptly stopped charging extra and also stopped refusals. However, in the evening, drivers at Karishma Chowk and Karve Putala refused passengers and also asked for extra money.
Police officers taking action on errant rickshaw drivers was a pleasant surprise for people staying in the vicinity of Paud road. The residents came forward to congratulate the MiD DAY team. Some of them also took telephone numbers for future use.
ACP Traffic Sunil Sonawane gave special thanks to MiD DAY and Radio One for conducting the autorickshaw campaign. "If a strong media like MiD DAY is with us, then our guys will be very happy to take prompt action on errant rickshaw drivers," he said.The police team consisted of API Suresh Raut, ASI Chandrakant Kadam with Police Constable Sunil Ghare, Vipul Patil and A M Shaikh.
Here'su00a0whatu00a0we found
Reporter: Vivek Sabnis, Abid Hasan and Sonia Rodrigues
Place: Hotel Kinara, Paud Road
Time: 12 PM-12.30 PM
Offenders booked: 5
The first autorickshaw driver at the rickshaw stand was approached by the reporter to go to Chandani Chowk, which is about 2 kms from the spot. The driver refused to charge by meter and asked for Rs 30 extra. The traffic police officer who was nearby booked the driver for charging extra money.
Sudharmani Pilley, a senior citizen, saw the initiative and approached the reporters. She said, "The rickshaw drivers do not use their meters but charge Rs 20 and even Rs 30 sometimes to go upto Sahyadri Hospital from Kinara Hotel."
Reporter: Vivek Sabnis, Abid Hasan and Sonia Rodrigues
Place: Kothrud Police Station Square, Paud Road
Time: 12.30 PM-1 PM
Offenders booked: 4
Autorickshaws parked on the side of the road were blatantly refusing the fare when the reporter approached them. Some of them were also charging extra giving an excuse that they will have to return with no fare. They were also asking for Rs 20 extra.
Near Hotel Samarth, a rickshaw driver spoke rudely to a passenger who wanted to go to Pashan. The driver, who was also the owner of the rickshaw, asked the passenger to leave the place even when he hadn't kept the meter in half-down position. (Half-down meter indicates that the driver is going home or for lunch.)
The driver's tone suddenly changed and he spoke very politely when the traffic police officer came into the picture.
His licence was confiscated and he was called to the police station.
Reporter: Vivek Sabnis, Abid Hasan and Sonia Rodrigues
Place: Paud Phata, Karve Road
Time: 1 PM-2 PM
Offenders booked: 3
Three drivers refused to take some women to their destination despite the scorching sun.
When the reporters went there, the driver at the stand refused to take them by giving an excuse that his vehicle had developed some technical fault. That was found to be false as that driver's auto was the first in cue at the stand.u00a0
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Reporter: Sonia Rodrigues, Abid Hasan
Place: Karishma Chowk
Time: 7 PM-7.30 PM
Offenders booked: 2
A 70-year-old lady Urmila Kulkarni was trying to hail an auto to go home, but two auto drivers just refused and rushed past. The traffic police officers then booked both of them. Many auto drivers just passed by without stopping or just gave lame excuses.
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Reporter: Abid Hasan, Sonia Rodrigues
Place: Karve Putala
Time: 7.45 PM-8.15 PM
Offenders booked: 2
When a reporter approached a driver to go to Bhavdan, he flatly refused. Another driver charged Rs 100 to go to the same destination, when the actual fare by meter should be anywhere between Rs 40 and 50. Both the drivers were booked.
Tou00a0register your complaint Call 020-26208225
This is an exclusive number
given by traffic police to MiD DAY readers to register
refuse-to-fare complaints.
You can also send us your complaints at
punemail@mid-day.com.
To send in your complaints by SMS:
Type RTO, followed by space, your complaint and send it to 59994.
For example: RTO autorickshaw number XYZ is charging extra fare from Swargate to Pune Station.
