License suspended for 918 Mumbai, Thane auto rickshaw drivers over refusing rides

The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has cancelled the licences of over 900 drivers who refused to take rides. The move has been welcomed by most Mumbaikars who are left to the mercy of the whims of auto-rickshaw drivers.

The cancellations happened over the past few months in parts of Mumbai and Thane after a drive to weed out the offenders had started in February 2019. The initiative was headed by Maharashtra’s State Transport Commissioner Shekhar Chenne. He has mentioned that the authorities have adopted a no-tolerance approach towards such auto drivers.

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, the 918 auto drivers whose licenses had been cancelled over refusal, challenged the move. However, their plea was rejected and now they won’t be allowed to operate anywhere in the country.

In the past six months, the license of 12,342 auto drivers has been suspended over varied offences, which includes the 918 who refused rides. Most of the offenders (60 percent) were caught from areas such as Kurla, Bandra, Bandra Kurla Complex, and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. Several truant drivers were spotted in Andheri, Vikhroli, and Ghatkopar too.

Of the over 12,000 offenders, 5,500 were booked for carrying more than three passengers at a go while 6,257 did not carry their license or badges; 42 were caught overcharging.

Assistant Regional Transport Officer Tanaji Chavan supervised the 14 special squads that were formed to crack down on offenders after several complaints came in from passengers. He said, during the operation, transport officials posed as regular passengers to conduct the surprise checks.

However, Thumpi Kurian, the union leader of Mumbai's auto drivers has requested the transport authorities to reconsider their decision and give the offending auto drivers another chance because this move affects not just them, but 918 families dependant on them for their daily bread.