Transport dept brings in guidelines for auto-rickshaws

In a bid to regulate movement of auto-rickshaws in and around the city, the state transport department issued a 13-point guideline on Wednesday.

A notification in this regard has been issued stating that the guidelines have to be enforced in order to avoid untoward incidents, traffic congestion and harassment of commuters. In a recent survey, the transport department found that unregistered auto-rickshaws outnumber the registered ones. 

The department had also received reports from various sources about chaotic movement of auto-rickshaws in the city and its adjacent areas. Subsequently, a decision was taken to form guidelines for orderly movement of auto-rickshaws. On Tuesday, the department made the guidelines public.  

The guidelines that the state transport department issued on Tuesday make it mandatory for auto-rickshaws to run on sanctioned routes only and “change or curtailment of routes will not be allowed”.

At the same time, restrictions have been imposed on carrying excess passengers. Auto-rickshaws are permitted to carry four passengers at a time, three on the rear seat and one next to the driver’s seat in the front. 

But auto-rickshaws are found to be plying with five or more passengers at a time. Plying of audio system in auto-rickshaws is not allowed and strict action will be taken if dazzling lights are found fitted on the vehicles.

The state transport department has made carrying of a badge containing name and other details of the driver mandatory. Route permits have to be fitted in the auto-rickshaws so that a policeman can check whether a vehicle is plying on its sanctioned route or not.

The transport department would also take steps to reorganise routes to check existing problems of curtailment of routes. Number of auto-rickshaws plying on different routes will also be reorganised and new routes may get included.

The new guidelines would be implemented to regulate plying of auto-rickshaws in the recently extended jurisdiction of Kolkata RTA that include the area of Kolkata Muncipal Corporation, Howrah Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Commissionerate and Barrackpore Commissionerate.