‘Why is auto-rickshaw union allowed to certify meters?’

The transport department, which has allowed the union to certify recalibrated e-meters, is headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. File pic

Consumer activists and transport experts on Wednesday blasted the Maharashtra transport department for allowing an auto-rickshaw union to certify recalibrated e-meters fitted in taxis and auto-rickshaws plying in the Mumbai region. The decision was taken at a meeting on November 1, the minutes of which were made public. After the change of fares since October 2022, the meters need to be recalibrated and upgraded meters need to be certified in a process called bench test.

Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union had applied to conduct these bench tests of electronic fare meters in taxis and auto-rickshaws, and got permission. Another party, a meter manufacturer, had applied, too. "This is clearly conflict of interest. This is very dangerous and now the only option left to stop this blunder is to approach the high court for relief," said Jitendra Gupta of Citizen Transport Committee.

"And considering all facts stated in the report, it should not be difficult to get a favourable consumer protective order from court. This issue should definitely be asked to the main Opposition parties as it should be a political issue them. They should then approach court and get relief to the public and regain their lost vote bank," Gupta added.

Also read: Rickshaw union allowed to certify meters; activists flag conflict of interest

"Certification should be always done by an independent government body like VJTI (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute to maintain impartiality," AV Shenoy, senior transport expert with Mumbai Mobility Forum & Mumbai Vikas Samiti said. Mumbai Grahak Panchayat president Shirish Deshpande said, "This is an unfair decision. If a meter manufacturer can be refused permission for being an interested party, the same principle should be applied to an auto-rickshaw union, which is much more of an interested party."

Transport department officials said that the decision was taken after following due procedures. "A proper inspection of the entire premise and infra of the applicants was conducted after which permissions were given," an official said. The authority also asked taxi and rickshaw owners to get their e-meters recalibrated for the new fare before November 30.

Along with the union, an e-meter manufacturing company had applied for permission to run a bench test centre. But the MMRTA rejected its application stating that "being a manufacturer, instead of carrying out self-tests, it will be appropriate to carry them out through a third party."

With inputs from Agencies