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Rickshaw drivers turn violent Friday, June 1, 2001

Ahmedabad, May 31
The traffic police and AMTS’ drive to remove autorickshaws from bus stand area, turned violent on Wednesday, when autorickshaw drivers threw stones and broke window panes of many buses and injured a bus driver. The rickshaw drivers badly damaged bus number 246 piling on route number 200 of Naroda area.

Talking to The Asian Age the DCP Traffic Samiullah Ansari said that till date they have booked more than 1000 auto shuttles. Explaining the term shuttle, he said the big autos which carry more than six and smaller autos which carry more than three are termed shuttles.

These are not supposed to operate on meters. Justifying his stand on the drive Mr Ansari said that more than 15 city autorickshaw unions had requested in writing that they should check the practice of shuttle rickshaws in the city. Mr Ansari said, “It’s not the blockage of bus stand area by auto drivers only but also that they are creating pollution by overloading their engines, which is originally meant for three.”

According to sources the AMTS has already earned Rs 4 lakhs in the two days of the drive.
Explaining the gravity of the problem Mr Ansari told that India is already on the world map for most polluted cities, so its not only the traffic police’s job but public support is needed as well.

“Unless there is public support, such moves and drives can never succeed in achieving the goals,” he said. He said shuttle practice is very common in busy city areas, near the outskirts of the city and highway.

The drive was jointly carried out by city traffic police and AMTS against those autodrivers who block the bus stand. When caught by the team they will be fined Rs 2000 for small autos, Rs 3000 for the bigger one and some cases were referred to the RTO. This drive is likely to continue for another 15-20 days. These shuttles charge the same as bus fare to the passengers.

News Source : The AsianAge Ahmedabad Edition [ The coolest Newspaper for city ]

 

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