Delhi all set to get Auto nirvana

Auto drivers being given yoga training to remain calm and become friendly

Delhi all set to get Auto nirvana

Auto drivers being given yoga training to remain calm and become friendly

They are one of the most hated lot on Delhi roads notorious for overcharging and harassing customers.

World class infrastructure apart, one of the best gifts that the 2010 Commonwealth Games will give to Delhiites is courteous and effective public transport. The government has launched a comprehensive drive to teach etiquette to bus, taxi and auto drivers.

Apart from the general techniques employed to impart training in good behaviour, the men in blue (not the cricketers) are being given yoga classes to be friendly with their customers.

As many as 33 auto drivers from the city attended the yoga session at Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) in Gurgaon on Wednesday, the first day of the programme.u00a0

"We have planned to train 8,000-10,000 auto drivers from the city in different batches. However, the number could go up," said a tourism ministry official associated with the team overseeing the different training programmes ahead of the sporting extravaganza.

He also refused to acknowledge that the sessions were only meant for the preparation of the games. "Actually, it is an ongoing process and will continue after games also."

The HIPA has just completed the training programme for taxi drivers from national capital, including those stationed at airport.

Another tourism ministry official said the training sessions are being conducted under the programme called Capacity Building Measures for Service Providers which is funded by central government.

Training sessions will also be conducted in Delhi from next week at three locations namely Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and Delhi Institute of Hotel Management (DIHM).

"It will be a three-day programme. The drivers will be given Rs 600 to compensate for the lost business. They will also be given a certificate on the completion of the programme. We are also planning to give them two pairs of uniform," the official said.

The auto drivers will be taught general English, etiquette, financial discipline and traffic and other transport rules of the city.

Delhi learns to behave
The Delhi government is going to launch a campaign in December or January to urge Delhiites to keep the city clean, stop spitting on roads, follow rules while crossing roads and a practice common courtesies with visitors.

The Delhi Police is also teaching English to its 15,000 men. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which will ferry athletes and officials between hotels and games venues, has also embarked on similar programmes for which a school has been established where training is underway.

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