Auto-rickshaw,bus operator tussle for parking space leaves commuters high and dry

This happens despite of the presence of traffic police and the newly-introduced Traffic Brigade jawans.

Officials at VMC said that this is a perennial problem,but there is nothing they can do about it.

“We have been receiving complaints in this regard and we do convey the issue to the police department at every common meeting. But the problem still exists,” said a senior VMC official.

The police,on the other hand,admitted that autorickshaws create problems for the commuters at most pick up stands.

“We certainly try to

maintain discipline at

the pick up points,but

it is practically impossible for us to deploy officials

at each and every stand. Even at the autorickshaw stands,the number of

autorickshaws is higher

than what is prescribed. However,we would also

like to point out that the

private bus operators

should train their drivers

to park vehicles right

in front of the pick-up

points, wherever they spot passengers,” said ACP Traffic K M Chaudhary,.

The passengers,who

are at the receiving end,have been complaining about this to the bus operators.

“I don’t know who is responsible to take action against the autorickshaw drivers,but they should see what difficulties we are facing. For a young boy it is easy to hip-hop through the hoard of autorickshaws and get into the bus,but for an aged person like me it is a Herculean task,” said Anil Thakker,a retired government employee residing in Old Padra road area.