The Hindu : Front Page : Special drive sees autos scurry for cover in city

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Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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Special drive sees autos scurry for cover in city

Staff Reporter

459 three-wheelers with faulty meters seized

APSRTC planning to introduce additional bus services on trunk routes
Some auto-rickshaw drivers chose to run their vehicles only in lanes and by-lanes

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Game is up: Officials showing a part of the meter that is used to increase fare and cheat passengers in Hyderabad on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: Cracking down on auto-rickshaws using tampered fare meters, authorities on Thursday seized 459 three-wheelers in the city.

The special drive against usage of such meters launched following failure of talks between the auto-rickshaw drivers’ unions and the Government over replacement of mechanical meters with digital ones would further be intensified on Friday.

No resistance

Though the unions vowed to protest the drive, not much resistance was witnessed in any part of the city.

However, some agitating drivers blocked the road at Trimulgherry and some public representatives submitted a memorandum to the officials at Falaknuma urging the Government to withdraw the drive.

In areas where the meter inspection was going on, some auto-rickshaw drivers, apparently worried over being caught, chose to ply on lanes and by-lanes.

In the backdrop of the Government’s decision to continue with the drive, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation is planning to run additional buses on trunk routes.

6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Teams comprising officials of the Transport department, Traffic Police and Legal Metrology checked vehicles from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The inspections were conducted at Trimulgherry, Osmania University campus, Falaknuma, Malakpet, Khairatabad and Nagole. Out of the 800-odd vehicles inspected, 459 were found to be running with faulty meters.

Cases registered

In addition to meter tampering, drivers of these three-wheelers were also found resorting to violations like plying without paying tax and fitness certificates and driving without licence.

Cases were registered against the drivers under relevant provisions of the Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act-1985 and Motor Vehicle Act, Transport Joint Commissioner B. Venkateswarlu said.

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