The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Guntur News : Autorickshaws ply on NH in violation of rules

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Guntur

Autorickshaws ply on NH in violation of rules

By Ramesh Susarla

GUNTUR, FEB. 3. The three-wheeler autorickshaws continue to ply on the National Highway despite the Government Order prohibiting their entry. The district police regularly seize the vehicles and produce them in court, but the punishment is not deterrent enough.

As per the permit issued by the Road Transport Authority (RTA) an autorickshaw is allowed to ply within 60 km radius of the residence of the vehicle owner, thus instigating majority of the vehicle owners to ply their vehicles between Vijayawada and Guntur and many times falling prey to over speeding.

The Deputy Transport Commissioner, G. Mamata Prasad, said on Thursday that it was practically impossible for the department, faced with severe staff shortage, to keep a watch on such violations. Out of the 15 Motor Vehicle Inspector posts, six are vacant - two in Guntur, one in Macherla, two in Narsaraopet and one in Mangalagiri.

Action against violators

The seven-seater autos have permission to ply all over the State, while the three-seaters can ply within a radius of 60 km, but the Government had issued an order prohibiting autos from going on to the highway to avoid accidents, Ms. Mamata said. "We suspend permits if cases are referred to us or our officers detect the offence," she said. "Unless the rule is amended and deterrent punishment prescribed for plying autorickshaws on the highway, things will not improve," opines K. Balakrishna, a regular commuter to Vijayawada by car.

Seizure of vehicles

The Guntur Rural Circle Inspector, D. Koteswara Rao, told The Hindu that last month the police had seized 40 vehicles on the outskirts of Guntur and on Thursday alone 10 vehicles were stopped. "A simultaneous coordinated operation is launched on certain days to seize all the vehicles plying on the highway, but after the three or four strict check, the situation slips back to normal," he lamented.

The sufferers are usually children and women, who constitute majority of the passengers and the police are forced to be lenient sometimes. Those in Vijayawada and Mangalagiri owned majority of the vehicles plying on the NH-5 between Vijayawada and Guntur.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

Autorickshaws ply on NH in violation of rules

Residents, institutions contribute for development

GMC earmarks zones for vendors

Inter student commits suicide

DRC meeting tomorrow