Mumbai: Rogue drivers thrive on chaos at Ghatkopar station

Lines for share autos and buses at Ghatkopar station hinder the smooth flow of traffic. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

Auto-rickshaw drivers mistreating commuters, blocking the roads, parking as they like and calling the shots with the fares are just some of the issues passengers outside Vikhroli and Vidyavihar stations face every day. The absence of traffic police personnel in the vicinity makes matters even worse. At Ghatkopar it is complete chaos every single day.

The Railway Police Force (RPF) chowkie outside the station on the east and west exits have been closed for a long time, too.

Locals taking autos to and from Vikhroli station every day alleged that auto drivers at the station are abusive towards passengers and have no fear of the law.

Mario Rodrigues, chairman of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, Vikhroli unit, said, "The rickshaw drivers have their own fare system with the share-autos to R City Mall being the most expensive. For a year, there hasn't been any inspection from police officers. The drivers take advantage of this ignorance.

The long and often haphazard queues for autos, along with auto-rickshaw drivers' random choice of pick-up and drop points has made the Ghatkopar station (west) a sore sight. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

Students of St Joseph's High School located right opposite Vikhroli station (West), along with their parents, often bear the brunt of the auto-rickshaw menace. "The rickshaw drivers stop their vehicles wherever they please to get their passengers," Rodrigues added.

Vikhroli residents claimed that this has been the case in the area for more than a decade. The problem is also that most commuters make do with the situation, believes Khan Massom Haider, 61. "It is because everyone's in a rush to reach office or college and we can't keep arguing with them. The frequency of buses is not great so we become vulnerable and comply with the rickshaw drivers," he said.

Locals often given in to rude auto-rickshaw drivers for the lack of another option at Vikhroli and Vidyavihar

Same story at Vidyavihar

Vidyavihar station (West) is no different. Auto-rickshaw drivers ply at their own fares here. The drivers ask for Rs 45 for a ride to Phoenix Mall while it costs just Rs 30 on meter, they alleged. Jyoti Gowda, 16, who travels from Vidyavihar station to her tuition classes at Premier Road in Kurla, said, "I face this issue every day but I have to accept whatever fares they demand because I am mostly in a hurry."

Ashok Sharma, 28, said, "However much you try, you end up becoming a prey to these drivers' whims."

Chaos at Ghatkopar

Autos parked in a haphazard manner is an everyday scene at Ghatkopar station (West). Residents often have to wade through the congestion to find a rickshaw to their destination from the station. The struggle doesn't end with finding one either, the hard bargain over charges awaits them next, with the fares sometimes escalating up to Rs 20 for a distance that costs Rs 15 on regular days.

Being a hub for the suburban railway and the Metro to Versova, the station has been drawing heavy crowds, worsening the auto-rickshaw scene outside. Stepping out of platform 1 into Ghatkopar West is a nightmare for most commuters during peak hours.

Also Read: Mumbai: Signs to lead passengers to pre-paid stand at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus

The long queues for autos have become unmanageable for traffic cops. Signages about auto stands to various destinations are not followed and auto drivers pick up and drop passengers anywhere they like.

Voices

Anna Ambrose - resident

'The rickshaw drivers are rude and even mistreat women. The normal fare from station to R City Mall is Rs 30 but the drivers demand whatever they like. They are also quite impolite with senior citizens and refuse to drop them at the destination of their choice'

Robert D'Souza - Bombay Catholic Sabha, Vikhroli

'We have complained about this for years but there's no change. The problem gets worse every day. We had even approached the traffic commissioner over this issue a long time ago but to no avail'

Bhumika Desai - a student

'I try to avoid taking a rickshaw and prefer walking until I find someone who goes by the meter or take a bus. But at times when I am in a hurry, I accept whatever fare they demand'

'In the morning, five passengers are accommodated in one auto, while in the evening, seven people are squeezed in'

Rash driving

Share-autos charging more than the nominal amount is a problem. However, what is not spoken about is how they charge more and indulge in rash driving. Passengers literally need to hold on for their safety. Auto drivers are neither bothered about their passengers nor about anyone else on the road. Pedestrians, too, have to be extra careful around auto driver who just want to reach their destination in the shortest time possible causing maximum discomfort to the passengers.

Hannah Jayan Varghese

BEST solution

The best solution to the auto menace according to me is to request BEST authorities to increase frequency from Bandra station (East) to BKC. Commuters can take BEST buses instead of dealing with auto drivers.

Other issues here include: 1. Sorry state of roads 2. Why can't RTO officers/police on duty stand before the signals instead of waiting for people to jump the signal and then nab them for violation? 3. Wrong-side driving on highways that are a major cause of accidents

Prakash Jadhav

Naigaon horror

I am a resident of Naigaon East. There are two routes that take me to the station and back - one via Tivri and another via Star City. In the morning, autos fit in five passengers while going to the station (two next to the driver). In the evening, seven passengers (four in the passenger seat and three in front) are squeezde in. They force women too into such arrangements. There are no cops in the area. Why isn't the revised Motor Vehicles Act applicable to auto-rickshaws?

Hepsi Suresh

Deliberate harassment

Outside Malad station, many seek auto-rickshaws plying towards Saraf College. Around 9 am one morning, all the auto-rickshaw drivers left the auto stand owing to an argument with some passengers, leaving 50 people stranded. These commuters soon began looking for autos on the road only to face rejections and confusion. Helpless and appalled commuters either had to walk all the way or stand in the middle of the road to wait for autos. This caused a lot of traffic and chaos on the road.

Duheeta Joshi

Everyday nightmare

I read the report about the auto mafia in mid-day. We face a nightmare every day while taking an auto-rickshaw from Kanjurmarg station auto stand. Please help.

Prasad Karulkar

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Also Read: Mumbai: Traffic cops are of no help at Bandra?

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