Auto drivers and their tantrums are a legendary Mumbai commuter problem, leaving citizens helpless and angry. Two months after the state transport department put share-auto stand locations along with their fixed rates on their official website, mid-day reporters decided to find out just how successful the move was. Not surprisingly, we found a large number of illegal auto stands dotting the city where the drivers decided the fares.

The team documented illegalities of every kind involving auto-rickshaws — from refusing rides to exorbitant, arbitrary rates. Problems persist at multiple levels and the lack of viable public transport on the feeder routes is a major one. Auto unions questioned about the issue admitted that the illegal auto rackets were flourishing and jugaad autos operated with impunity.