The Hindu : National : Drive against autorickshaws to slow down

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Drive against autorickshaws to slow down

Special Correspondent

West Bengal to submit report to court

Government to seek time to put in place a scheme
“Withdrawing autos without substitute arrangement will hit commuters”

KOLKATA: In the face of protests against the seizure of two-stroke three-wheelers that had triggered violence here two days ago, the West Bengal government has decided to “slow down” its drive against this category of autorickshaws.

“We shall slow down the drive but that does not mean we shall stop it,” Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said here on Monday.

The Calcutta High Court had directed a ban on the plying of two-stroke petrol-driven autos from January 1 to cut down on pollution.

Hearing on plea

Though the State government will not move the court separately against the directive a report will be submitted to it seeking time to put in place a scheme with a revised “time-table” envisaging an alternative transport arrangement when a hearing on a petition by a section of auto drivers against the State government’s earlier notification calling for withdrawal of two-stroke autos is taken up.

The matter was discussed at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee following which Mr. Sen took it up with Advocate-General Balai Roy.

More applications

The government will submit before the court that the applications from auto drivers opting for the scheme to replace two-stroke autos with four-stroke LPG three-wheelers has increased to about 11,000 and time be given for it to be put in place.

There are between 25,000 and 30,000 licensed autorickshaws and withdrawing them without a substitute arrangement will pose a great deal of inconvenience to regular commuters.

“In Kolkata autorickshaws play a vital role in the transport system,” Mr. Sen said.

If the government gets the permission of the court it can go ahead and work on a revised scheme that envisages an alternative transport arrangement to replace autorickshaws within days of the latter being taken off the city streets.

The alternative arrangement could be introduced within three to four months.

Responsibility

“Our responsibility is not only curbing pollution; we also have a responsibility to prevent any major traffic dislocation as well as a responsibility towards the auto drivers,” Mr. Sen said.

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

National