'Autos must have the right to refuse'

Place: Malad Station (W) and opposite D-Mart
Time: 10 am-12 pm and 5.30 pm-7.15 pm
Offenders caught: 9
Commuter Speaks
Lisa Gomes said, "Nowadays, the rickshaw drivers keep their meters half-down. When commuters come out of the station, they ask them where they want to go. And if the distances are short, they flatly refuse."



Auto Driver Speaks
Suresh Kharwal: "I have to meet a person and borrow money from him. That's why I refused to ply the passenger."

Spot of Bother
Deepak Raval, claiming to be a part of an auto union, threatened the reporter with dire consequences. Raval said, "An auto must have the right to refuse a fare. If the traffic police continue to catch us for refusing fares, I shall unite them against the cops." When the cops tried reasoning with him, Raval got enraged. He then created a ruckus and forcibly surrendered his licence. Unfazed by his outburst, the cops reprimanded him following which, he drove away quietly.

Text: Nivedita Dargalkar

Place: Ghatkopar (E)
Time: 10 am-12 pm and 5 pm-7 pm
Offenders caught:u00a0 4
Commuters Speak
Mahendra Jaiswal, who was late for an all-important meeting at his office, said, "I was supposed to reach office by 10. It's 10.15 am and I'm still struggling to find an auto. The driver refused stating that he only accepts fares for Ghatkopar East."

Shweta Sharma, a collegian, said, "Getting a rickshaw from the east side is a task, especially for lady passengers. Since everybody is waiting for an auto, the moment one appears, everyone just lunges on to it. Besides, these drivers ferry as per their convenience."



Auto Drivers Speak
Ranjeet Soni: "I just suggested the passenger that it would be better for him if he takes an auto from Ghatkopar West as the fares would be less."