HIGH DRAMA: Autorickshaw drivers taking out procession in Ongole on Tuesday. — Photo: Sreenivas Kommuri

ONGOLE: Autorickshaws went off the road causing hardship to commuters here on Tuesday to protest against alleged harassment by police and transport officials.

They took out a procession through the main streets and staged a dharna near Road Transport Office. The Regional Transport Officer agreed to convene a joint committee meeting with transport, police and municipal officials on December 21 to sort out the issues.

Following a road accident in which eight persons were killed when an autorickshaw rammed into an APSRTC bus near Podili, transport and police officials intensified raids on autorickshaws in towns and villages in the district in the last two days. They seized nearly 100 autorickshaws plying without registration papers or overloading or lack of licence for the driver etc and issued them memos to pay fine varying from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 11,000.

Enraged by this, nearly 1,000 auto drivers parked their vehicles in PVR municipal high school grounds and went in a procession to RTO office in Bhagyanagar under the leadership of CITU.

Officials' plea

But officials contended that they had to enforce rules to ensure the safety of the commuters. They exhorted the drivers to adhere to rules. But drivers complained that they were not able to pay the bribe of Rs. 1500 allegedly demanded by transport officials to issue driving licence. To this the transport officials agreed to open special counters to issue driving licences to all eligible persons just by collecting government prescribed fees.

Transport officials insisted that the drivers avoid overloading and observe minimum safety norms. CITU leader Chiranjeevi suggested that training classes be conducted for drivers on these issues instead of imposing huge penalties on drivers. Autorickshaws resumed their operations after 3 pm.

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