Police, RTO crack down on errant auto drivers

PUNE, Dec 2: Determined to ensure the safety of school children travelling by auto-rickshaw, the Pune Police Commissionerate and the Region...

3 min readDec 3, 1997 12:00 AM IST

PUNE, Dec 2: Determined to ensure the safety of school children travelling by auto-rickshaw, the Pune Police Commissionerate and the Regional Transport Office RTO have launched an unprecedented drive against errant auto-rickshaw drivers of the city. One hundred and eighty police personnel spread out all over the city between 7 a m and 9 a m this morning and posted themselves outside nearly 200 schools, in a bid to clamp down on auto-rickshaw drivers ferrying more than six children to and from schools.

The action plan, formulated in collaboration with the RTO, follows efforts initiated two months ago to bring some method to the chaotic and dangerous system of school transport here.

“Eighteen officers comprising two assistant commissioners of police, two inspectors and 14 sub-inspectors with 10 men under each of them will carry out this operation that has been initiated under the direction of the police commissioner. Stringent action will be taken against every rickshaw exceeding the limit of the number of school children it is authorised to ferry. All the cases will be reported to the RTO which has the authority to suspend their permits,” Prakash D Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, told The Indian Express. “We expect to cover approximately 180 to 200 schools and to drive home the point that we are serious about this problem.”

DCP Pawar said that Road Safety Patrol teachers and children have been asked to help. “There will also be a special officer extended by the RTO in all the three zones under the commissionerate so that action can be initiated against the offending auto-rickshaw drivers on the spot,” he stated.

Earlier, the Pune Police Commissionerate had taken serious note of the problem and forwarded letters to principals of various schools two months ago. The letters urged them to speak to parents and rickshaw drivers to ensure that children do not travel in overcrowded rickshaws.

DCP Pawar says the response of the principals has been encouraging. He added, “We also held meetings with the Rickshaw Panchayat representatives and even they recognise the problem.”

The police commissionerate, which registered 266 cases against errant auto-rickshaw drivers in September and October, have registered 95 cases on November 26, 29 and 30 alone.

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The RTO too has geared itself for the task ahead. “In the past fortnight we took action against 67 auto-rickshaws for breaking the rules, out of which 28 were those ferrying school children. In the last 10 days, another 10 have been brought to book,” said Bharat Kalaskar, assistant regional transport officer.

“We have a three-pronged action plan to check this hazardous menace – propaganda, dialogue with rickshaw organisations and action to be undertaken by our flying squad in case of the offenders,” said Kalaskar.

“We have also decided to have two officers permanently on this job of hauling up overcrowded school vehicles instead of a three-day or seven-day drive that has a temporary effect,” he added.

As the authorities attempt to find a viable solution to a problem that has become almost endemic to Pune, perhaps there is hope yet for the 50,000 kids that travel in over-crowded three-wheelers.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More

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