With the extended winter break coming to an end and schools all set to re-open from Tuesday,children will have to be ready to brave the chill. To add to their and parents woes,the uncertainty over the ban on autorickshaws from ferrying schoolchildren still prevails. While the autorickshaw union is adamant over not reducing the number of passengers from eight to five,the Administration reiterated that any auto found violating the norms will be issued challans and impounded immediately. With both parties at loggerheads over the limit on the number of passengers,it is the students who are at the suffering end. Ignoring the Administrations advice,the autorickshaw union,confident of continuing to ferry students,stands firm on its decision of carrying eight students. The union has also threatened to go on strike in case any auto is issued a challan or impounded. We have already had a word with the traffic police officers who have assured us not to impound or challan the vehicles even if we carry eight students. The moment an auto is issued a challan,we will call for a strike and block the traffic leaving the students on the spot, said an unyielding Autorickshaw Union president Jarnail Singh Chauhan. While re-considering the ban,the Administration had announced on Friday to even revoke the ban if the union submits an affidavit stating that they would comply with the norms of the Motor Vehicle Act,pollution norms,install meters in autos and not ferry more than five students in a single trip. The Administration has given the autorickshaw owners another chance in return of the assurance that they would follow the norms and guidelines. If they do not accept it,the Administration would be unable to provide any help and would be forced to impound the autos found violating the rules from Tuesday, said Secretary (Transport) Ram Niwas. The ban on auto rickshaws from carrying school students,that came into effect from January 1,could not be implemented due to extension of the winter break in schools till January 5. Keeping a check on auto drivers for three months,the Administration had asked the union to comply with the norms earlier too. Non-compliance on their part lead to the ban on autorickshaws,considering it an unsafe mode of transport for children.
