Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Crackdown on autorickshaws

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, JULY 23 . Amid greater focus on safety of school students in the wake of the Kumbakonam fire, a crackdown on autorickshaws overloading children began today in the district. Packed beyond capacity, the autorickshaws are seen as indulging in a perilous ride to make a sustained income, as their exorbitant fare does not attract passengers.

Limbs of students hanging out dangerously from the vehicles for want of space inside or a battalion of lunch boxes and bags swaying on either side, virtually threatening to upset the balance of the autorickshaw, are a common sight. The automen have installed a wooden plank to serve as additional seat and even force children to perch on the metal barricades on either side that should actually prevent passengers from falling off the vehicles. The result is that the children make a risky journey to school and back home everyday.

While autorickshaw drivers are accused of compromising on the safety of children for income, they contend that the parents know this full well. It is said exorbitant bus fee levied by educational institutions have forced parents to opt for a cheaper mode of transport in the autorickshaws.

The schools also feel helpless. Many children live in areas beyond the city limits making it impossible for the buses of the institutions to reach these places. This leaves the choice of transport to the parents.

There are many private operators using vehicles such as maxi cabs to take children to schools. These are also packed beyond capacity. To curb this practice, the Deputy Transport Commissioner, K. Yogarajan, ordered a drive in the jurisdictions of eight Regional Transport Officers and seven Motor Vehicle Inspectors in Coimbatore, Erode and the Nilgiris districts.

In the two-hour drive on roads that led to all the schools, 412 vehicles such as autos, vans, cars and buses operated by educational institutions were checked for violations such as overloading, unauthorised use of vehicles, non-possession of valid documents (permit, fitness certificate, insurance, road tax and driving licence). Of these, 99 were booked for overloading. These included 42 autos and 23 goods carriers that were used for taking children to schools.

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