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Pune: 23 auto-rickshaw stands to be shut, 17,000 drivers fined in last two months
Move comes weeks after rape of 14-year-old — accused included auto drivers.

THE Pune traffic police have decided to shut down 23 autorickshaw stands in the city in a bid to ease traffic congestion as well as from “security point of view”, according to officials. In the last two months, traffic police have also fined over 17,000 autorickshaw drivers for allegedly violating various norms.
The move comes in the wake of the rape of a 14-year-old girl by multiple men in September; most of the accused in the case were autorickshaw drivers.
“We have decided to shut down at least 23 autorickshaw stands located in different parts of the city. The immediate reason for their closure is the traffic chaos their presence causes on a particular road…from security point of view too, they have been found unsuitable and unsafe,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Shrirame told The Indian Express on Sunday.
Shrirame said the department has proposed setting up of 13 new autorickshaw stands in the city. The decision to shut down the auto stands, Shrirame said, was taken after a survey by the traffic department.
At present, around 72,000 autorickshaws are plying on Pune roads. “And we have around 550 autorickshaw stands… Those necessary will be allowed to continue, those which cause congestion or are not fit from security point of view will be moved from their spot,” he said.
Shrirame said the department has also taken stern action against autorickshaw drivers violating norms by not wearing uniforms, not possessing licences, badges and permits, not following the directions regarding safe driving and not displaying their phone numbers prominently on their vehicles.
“We have largely succeeded in enforcing discipline among the autorickshaw drivers following the rape a 14-year-old girl in which it was found that most of the accused were auto drivers,” he said.
“Of the 17,000 auto drivers fined, as many as 12,000 were found not wearing their uniforms. Following our action, autorickshaw drivers have started strictly following the uniform norm. Wearing uniform is important to identify those who are plying illegally,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police said.
Shrirame said that initially the traffic police was carrying out the drive to streamline the functioning of autorickshaws in tandem with the Regional Transport Office.
“However, the traffic police is now taking strict action on their own against those violating the laid-down norms,” he said.
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