Autowallahs want your kids to keep going to school like this

The aam aadmi is well aware how agonising it is to argue with an autowallah Now the administration is finding this out too Even after state transport secretary Shailesh Kumar Sharma having asked them to refrain from doing so rickshaw unions are firm on their stand that theyrsquoll persist with their prevalent practice of carrying 8 to 10 school students in a single trip The groups have proclaimed that they will oppose any action by Regional Transport Office RTO against them on the matter If the numbers are reduced parents will have to shell out more money they have warned Chop and change State transport secretary Shailesh Kumar Sharma has argued that if rickshaws are modified and the new design approved by institutes like Automotive Research Association of India then only u00a0more kids can be allowed to sit File Pic Rickshaw Panchayat had given a presentation to Sharma on Saturday at the RTO premises on how 10 primary students can safely travel in one auto rickshaw Following the demonstration Sharma had argued that the practice could cause discomfort to children If the auto rickshaws are modified and the new design approved by institutions like Automotive Research Association of India ARAI then only accommodation of more kids can be made safer and restful he maintained Too close for comfort Rickshaw Panchayat had given a presentation to state transport secretary Shailesh Kumar Sharma on Saturday at the RTO premises on how 10 primary students can safely travel in one auto rickshaw Following the demonstration Sharma had argued that the practice could cause discomfort to children File Pic ldquoThe officers should do away with their rigid attitude otherwise parents and auto drivers will have to bear losses The transport secretary has said that a final decision will be taken soon in Mumbai regarding accommodation of school childrenin autosrdquo said Nitin Pawar convener of Rickshaw Panchayat ldquoWe will continue to ferry school children as our track record proves that autos are much safer than any other transport vehicle If they RTO decide to initiate action against us we will protest against it If the ferrying capacity is reduced to four or five it would be economically unfeasible for auto drivers and parents will have to cough up more moneyrdquo he said Bapu Bhave treasurer of Pune City Autorickshaw Federation said ldquoThis issue was raised in state assembly on July 11 1986 and subsequently autos were allowed to ferry 10 students Thereafter in 1999 the then divisional commissioner had proposed to allow 10 kids in an auto In 2002 the RTO had allowed children to be seated on a wooden plank apart from the main seatrdquo ldquoEven as per the law we can ferry a minimum of 6 children including those under 12 years of age We will continue to transport school children as beforerdquo Bhave added Prashant Inamdar convener of Pedestrians First NGO has also written a letter to state transport secretary Sharma and state transport commissioner VN More on August 1 ldquoWith certain modifications one additional folding seat can be provided behind driverrsquos seat The main seat can accommodate up to 5 children and another 4 children can sit on the folding one Suitable upgrade to safely increase rickshaw capacity for school children is in public interestrdquo he statedu00a0 55000 The number of auto rickshaws in Pune Voices ldquoMy girl goes to school in an auto rickshaw stuffed with 12 children The driver charges around Rs 2000 per month for dropping her to the institute in Kharadi We realise that itrsquos risky but have no other option availablerdquo mdashDeepak Laddha a resident of Sopan Baug area ldquoJust like for school buses safety norms for auto rickshaws transporting school children is also a must It is important to avoid overcrowding and ensure safety and security of the kidsrdquo mdashSheetal Sapkal principal Sinhgad Spring Dale School NarheAmbegaon ldquoYounger children have supple bones so it isnrsquot too much of a problem for them But if the older ones travel in rickshaws in poor postures they are likely to develop back problemsrdquo mdashDr Sameer Desai paediatricorthopaedic surgeon KEM Hospitalu00a0