Traffic police book 22 auto drivers as campaign against overcharging, refusal of fare moves to more parts of city

On Day 2 of Week 2 of the MiD DAY and Radio One campaign against overcharging and refusal of fare by autorickshaws, reporters helped the law catch up with errant rickshaw men on Senapati Bapat Road in the afternoon and in Koregaon Park, Hadapsar and Sahakar Nagar in the evening.

Twenty-two offenders were booked. The afternoon session saw three auto drivers booked, the evening 19.
The campaign ufffd launched by MiD DAY and Radio One in association with the traffic police and the Regional Transport Office ufffd this time checked out auto stands as well, as suggested by the traffic inspector accompanying the reporters.

According to traffic policemen, auto drivers had now become alert after a week of the campaign and refusals had come down.

"So far, 37 licences have been confiscated since the campaign began," said DCP Manoj Patil. "Stringent action will be taken against the rickshaw drivers."

In the evening, reporters spread out in the busy Koregaon Park area to see how auto drivers treated commuters during the rush hour as offices closed for the day.

A German woman, who did not want to give her name, said she had been staying in Koregaon Park for two months and the auto drivers were generally good. "I had an auto driver refuse me one day, but otherwise they have taken me to my destination, by the meter," she said.

But, no sooner than she had spoken, an auto driver was seen speeding off after refusing three burkha-clad women, who had a child with them and were making their way home.

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