The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Auto strike: State open to talks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 26, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Auto strike: State open to talks

Staff Reporter

Loans to drivers under consideration, says Transport Commissioner

HYDERABAD: Transport Commissioner Ajay Misra on Thursday said the Government was open to talks with the agitating autorickshaw drivers on the digital meter issue though there would be no formal invitations.

Addressing a press conference at the Transport Bhavan, Mr. Misra said on previous occasions too, there were no formal invitations extended for talks. The auto unions had come to the discussion table on their own. As for the public, he said the inconvenience caused by the strike had to be seen as for a good cause -- a better future through digital meters.

The Department was discussing with various bankers for extending loans to auto-drivers for fixing the digital meters, the prices of which ranged from Rs.1,500 to Rs.3,500. School buses were also permitted to operate on special permits after school hours. The routes and timings for these buses were being charted by the Commissioner for School Education and the RTC, he said.

Among other arrangements made, call taxis were permitted to operate from all railway stations and bus-stands and to pick up passengers en route. Interestingly, seven-seater autos and tempo vans have been permitted to operate throughout the city.

Preventive measures

Joint Transport Commissioner (Planning) C.L.N. Gandhi, admitting the digital meters were not entirely tamperproof, however, said tampering would be prevented by at least 95 per cent.

The digital meters would be password-protected with three seals -- on the meter, on the junction box and on the sensor. Only dealers who had fixed the meter on the auto would be authorised to service and repair the meters.

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