Crammed autos: Cops all hands up

When asked whether the action had been postponed, Maheshgauri said action will be taken against errant automen as per routine.

So it was business as usual for autorickshaw operators ferrying school children on the first day of school. While the auto operators ferrying school children smoothly plied their services, the much-hyped crackdown against overcrowding of school children in autorickshaws never took place.

For instance, at the New English School, Ramanbaug, three-seater operators were seen ferrying more than the six children permitted by the Regional Transport Authority.

An operator who had ferried eight children in his three-seater, while speaking to The Indian Express, felt that abiding by the limit of six children would not be possible as it would reduce his monthly income drastically. “The Rickshaw Panchayat has appealed all three-seater operators not to ferry more than 10 children. I have ferried eight. Most of them are below the age of 12, and can easily be accommodated in a three-seater,” he said on condition of anonymity.

When contacted, Vasant Patil, assistant commissioner of police, traffic branch, stated that no action against auto operators was initiated today. “It’s a social issue which can be sorted out through creation of awareness among parents as well as auto operators,”he said.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Rickshaw Panchayat today met Maheshgauri requesting him that the implementation be stayed. The delegation also made a request that a subcommittee presided over by Panchayat president Dr Baba Adhav, be formed to study the issue.

“A committee presided over by then divisional deputy commissioner Balasaheb Mali to study the problems of autorickshaw operators had in 1994 recommended that Dr Baba Adhav should preside over the committee. We want this committee to be formed. Till then no one-sided decision should be taken,” said Ram Sharmale, a Panchayat organiser.