Auto driver threatens to take cop to court

On day 83 of MiD DAY's Meter Down Campaign, an errant autorickshaw driver threatened to sue an on-duty traffic constable and the passenger whom he had refused to ply

Place: Borivli Station (East)
Time: 10 am-11.30 am
Offenders caught:u00a05
Commuters speak
Archana Pundalik said, "It's been over 30 minutes and I'm yet to find an auto driver who is ready to ferry me to my destination. Just because an out-station train has halted at Borivli, almost every driver is after those who have alighted from the train. This has become an everyday problem for the local commuters."
Rachael Almeida said, "Though there are lots of autos parked near the station road, drivers are missing. However, the moment an out-station station train halts here, they appear from nowhere and run after those who get off at Borivli."


Hand over your licence at once! An auto driver produces his licence
after a traffic cop pulled him up for destination dicrimination.
Pic/Mahesh Chafe

Hareshwar Modi said, "I am amazed by the various excuses these errant drivers cook up to refuse plying short distance fares. Technical snags, low gas, and so on. However, the moment a long distance passengers approach them, their problems disappear."

Auto drivers speak
Dhruvaraj Bind: "The brakes have malfunctioned. Since I don't want to risk any of my passenger's life, I'm refusing fares."

Sakharam Bind: "I just requested the passenger to meet me at the road's end. However, she assumed that I refused her and boarded another vehicle. It's not my fault."

Spot of bother
When an on-duty traffic constable confiscated auto driver Jitendra Mahadik's licence for refusing to ply a short distance fare, the driver threw tantrums and started arguing with him. Mahadik said, "I had no idea that constables have been deployed to catch drivers who are refusing fares. Had I known it, I would have never said no to the passenger."

Upon hearing Mahadik's lame excuse, traffic constable Dynaneshwar Ghuge said, " As per RTO rules, rickshaw drivers are not supposed to refuse a fare if their meters are kept on hire. It doesn't matter whether a traffic constable is around or not. You are supposed to perform your duty of plying passenger, irrespective of their destinations."

Text: Nivedita Dargalkar


Booked: An auto driver being fined for refusal. Pic/Mahesh Chafe

Place: Shivaji Nagar
Time: 9.30 am-12 pm
Offender caught:u00a01
Commuter speaks
Pushpak Yadav lamented, "These errant drivers must be taught a through lesson, otherwise they will never improve."

Auto driver speaks
Nandlal Yadav: "I never refused the passenger, he is lying. If the cop confiscates my licence, I'll take him and the passenger to court."