Chennai Autos :Meter Doesn’t Matter?Meter Doesn’t Matter?

In little more than a year, the autorickshaw meters are fast becoming redundant for auto drivers, who charge above the meter fare or demand exorbitant rates

CHENNAI: After taking off with great promise, the autorickshaw meters in Chennai are fast falling into disuse in little over a year since they were made mandatory by the authorities.

“It is a constant hassle every time I visit Chennai to meet relatives. Though use of meters has been made mandatory, there are not many who are willing to follow it. When I approached the drivers who had lined up near the subway on Wall Tax Road right outside Central Railway Station during a recent visit to the city, not one agreed to take me to MKB Nagar. All of them either demanded extra money over and above the meter charge or fixed an amount that was exorbitant. I am surprised to see that things are back to square one,” said 25-year-old TH Aruna Kumari, a native of Guntur. This is not limited to outsiders who struggle with the local language. Even city residents have similar stories to tell. “Auto drivers on VGP Salai in Saidapet are back to fleecing the commuters. No one here follows the meter system. Instead, they have fixed an amount of Rs 50 to Guindy Bus Stand and Rs 40 to the railway station, though the meter fare would only come up to Rs 25,” said M Prem Anand, who works for an IT company in Guindy.

Two days ago, Prem Anand had to go from Saidapet to Guindy bus stand to catch a bus to Koyambedu from where he was to take a bus to his native Kumbakonam

. “The drivers in the stand demanded Rs 50. I had no other go then to pay the amount and travel. I did not have time to complain to  traffic police as I was in a hurry to catch my bus. This is the situation most of the commuters face, and drivers take advantage of it,” he added.

According to Marthamma, a 60-year-old who lives near the Choolai Post Office, the meter system has ended up being just an eye wash. “Whenever I have to go to Nehru Park on Poonamallee High Road, I am forced to bargain because the drivers would demand an extra of Rs 30-Rs 35 above the meter charge,” she rued.

However, according to J Seshasayanam, general secretary of Madras Metro Auto Drivers Association, auto drivers are forced to charge extra amount, since share autorickshaws are eating into their business. “In most of the cases, the drivers are forced to bargain because there would be no possibility for return service from select areas,” he countered.

He charged that the share autos were paying bribes to traffic police to look the other way even as they are plying with more number of passengers than permitted.

 “This again is a violation of rules. But none seems to have problem with that. If these are regularised properly, auto drivers will also get business. The root cause for us not sticking to the meter system is this. Why don’t the authorities look into this and offer us relief?” 

Seshasayanam complained. He added that the authorities had promised to hold a meeting for the revision of minimum charge, but there has been no progress on that.

“We were promised free meters, but had to pay for it. It is the authorities who are forcing us to charge the passengers extra,” added Seshasayanam, who is leading the biggest union in the city.

A higher official of the Traffic Police said that they had opened police booths at crowded locations like Mambalam Bus Stand, Central Railway Station, Koyambedu Bus Stand, Spencers Plaza on Anna Salai to ensure that there were no complaints.

Passengers can complain on 103 or 42042300, of on the Facebook page of the police, he said, adding that action would be taken immediately.

“We are also monitoring autorickshaws, but the public should register their complaints for action to be taken,” the official added.

Sinduja Jane Cityexpress 18 Oct 14