School autos challenge RTO norms

It may be recalled that the traffic police have decided to take stringent action against three-seater autorickshaw operators violating norms of Regional Transport Authority (RTA) by ferrying more than six children. In case of six-seater operators, the limit on number of students to be ferried has been fixed at 12 by the RTA.

Terming the norms as `restrictions’, Akolkar today pointed out that nearly families of 6000 three-seater operators and about 2 lakh students are dependent on the services provided by `Rickshawvalle Kaka’. The tradition has been existing for last 25 years and not a single accident has been reported in the past, stated Akolkar adding that the restriction will lead to a `more than double’ hike in the monthly fares to be paid to three seater operator.

“The parents, mostly belonging to middle and lower middle class, will not be able to afford the hike. Neither can a three-seater operator afford to carry on business by ferrying six children,”he said.

Terming the decision to take actions against three seater automen as illegal and impractical, Akolkar warned that INTUC led Rickshaw Union will launch an agitation opposing the restrictions.

To this effect a meeting of three-seater operators ferrying school children in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas along with parents has been planned on June 1, informed Akolkar. He further said that the meeting will discuss at length the option of staging a joint `dharna’ before opening of schools.