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Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Autos got 1000 e-challans daily in 2024 for passenger refusal
An average of over a thousand challans per day were issued to auto drivers by the traffic police in 2024 for refusing to ply passengers, highlighting the extent to which Mumbaikars are getting hassled. Data with the traffic department shows that 3.69 lakh challans were issued annually for refusals in 2024, up 282% from 96,678 challans issued in 2022. Taking on excess passengers, another key violation, nearly doubled from 53,611 challans in 2022 to 1 lakh challans in 2024. Traffic police officers attributed the rise in numbers to an increase in crackdowns on errant auto drivers. "Refusal is a serious issue," said DM Gosavi, secretary of the Seva Sarathi Autorickshaw Taxi and Transport Organisation. "The govt had prepared a policy for rooftop indicators for autos, but it was never implemented. Coloured lights were supposed to go up if an auto was occupied by a passenger, or if the driver was off-duty, or the vehicle was available for hire. It could have reduced refusals to some extent. Our union has been pushing for the Yatri Mitra app to ensure there is an auto at the doorstep of the passenger and fare is paid strictly by the meter." Police data also shows a sharp rise in inebriated drivers from just two challans for drink driving in 2022 to 189 challans in 2024. Autos not adhering to pollution norms was another issue of concern with 1923 challans issued in 2024 for non-possession of PUC certificates, up 150% from 768 challans in 2022. Activist Godfrey Pimenta recounted a recent incident where two women commuting by auto from Bandra to Malad around 2am were harassed by the driver when they pointed out that his meter was rigged. He insisted they pay the inflated fare and threw their money back at them when they paid the regular fare. "The women got no support at the local police station either," Pimenta said. Activist Anil Galgali suggested that the traffic police should step up visibility at locations where frequent instances of refusals or taking on excess passengers were reported. "In certain areas such as Kurla, autos queue up only in the shared-autos lane. They do not venture towards passengers waiting for non-shared autos. Police must intervene and ensure all passengers find a ride to their destination," Galgali said. "The complaints redressal mechanism put in place by the transport department also needs an overhaul." Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union leader Thampy Kurien said they had complained to the authorities about instances where certain drivers blatantly flouted rules, but their complaints had fallen on deaf ears. To tackle the issue of excess fare being demanded from passengers, Kurien suggested getting at least 50 to 100 more legally approved share-auto stands which will have RTO-approved rates written on them.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Autos get 1,000 e-challans daily for passenger refusal
Mumbai: An average of over a thousand challans per day were issued to auto drivers by the traffic police in 2024 for refusing to ply passengers, highlighting the extent to which Mumbaikars are getting hassled. Data with the traffic department shows that 3.69 lakh challans were issued annually for refusals in 2024, up 282% from 96,678 challans issued in 2022. Taking on excess passengers, another key violation, nearly doubled from 53,611 challans in 2022 to 1 lakh challans in 2024. Traffic police officers attributed the rise in numbers to an increase in crackdowns on errant auto drivers. "Refusal is a serious issue," said DM Gosavi, secretary of the Seva Sarathi Autorickshaw Taxi and Transport Organisation. "The govt had prepared a policy for rooftop indicators for autos, but it was never implemented. Coloured lights were supposed to go up if an auto was occupied by a passenger, or if the driver was off-duty, or the vehicle was available for hire. It could have reduced refusals to some extent. Our union has been pushing for the Yatri Mitra app to ensure there is an auto at the doorstep of the passenger and fare is paid strictly by the meter." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hilarious And Awkward Family Photos, Check It Out Here Undo Police data also shows a sharp rise in inebriated drivers from just two challans for drink driving in 2022 to 189 challans in 2024. Autos not adhering to pollution norms was another issue of concern with 1923 challans issued in 2024 for non-possession of PUC certificates, up 150% from 768 challans in 2022. Activist Godfrey Pimenta recounted a recent incident where two women commuting by auto from Bandra to Malad around 2am were harassed by the driver when they pointed out that his meter was rigged. He insisted they pay the inflated fare and threw their money back at them when they paid the regular fare. "The women got no support at the local police station either," Pimenta said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Gold Rates Today in Mumbai | Silver Rates Today in Mumbai Activist Anil Galgali suggested that the traffic police should step up visibility at locations where frequent instances of refusals or taking on excess passengers were reported. "In certain areas such as Kurla, autos queue up only in the shared-autos lane. They do not venture towards passengers waiting for non-shared autos. Police must intervene and ensure all passengers find a ride to their destination," Galgali said. "The complaints redressal mechanism put in place by the transport department also needs an overhaul." Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union leader Thampy Kurien said they had complained to the authorities about instances where certain drivers blatantly flouted rules, but their complaints had fallen on deaf ears. To tackle the issue of excess fare being demanded from passengers, Kurien suggested getting at least 50 to 100 more legally approved share-auto stands which will have RTO-approved rates written on them. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Transport union to launch auto hailing app
Mumbai: A new ride hailing app for autos floated by an autorickshaw operators' union is likely to be launched on July 15. The app, called 'Yatri Mitra', is currently undergoing testing in the beta stage. Once it goes live, commuters will be able to book rides using the app and pay as per the reading on electronic meters, union members and app developers told Hindustan Times. (Hindustan Times) 'When we interacted with autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai and Thane, they shared the need for an app that could facilitate meter-based payments, benefitting both passengers and drivers,' said DM Gosavi, general secretary of the Seva Sarathi Autorickshaw Taxi and Transport Union, which is behind the effort. The union has around 1,000 auto drivers among its members and unaffiliated auto drivers will be able to use the app after registering for the service, said sources. The app has been developed by Metazen Labs Pvt Ltd, which has created apps for the Income Tax department, Mumbai Port Trust, Thane Municipal Corporation, and Rotary International, among others. It will be run jointly by Metazen and the Seva Sarathi union, the sources added. 'Aggregators like Uber and Ola charge a hefty commission from drivers based on their earnings. But drivers using the 'Yatri Mitra' app will have to pay a nominal daily fee of ₹ 25 and those using the app regularly will receive personal accident insurance coverage,' said Narendra Rao, director, Metazen Labs. Passengers will be charged as per the meter and payments can be made via cash or UPI, Rao said. The service will initially be launched in Mumbai and Thane and expanded gradually to other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). At least 10,000 autos are expected to be enrolled at the time of the launch, said sources. There are 251,461 auto rickshaws in Mumbai, and 555,986 auto rickshaws in the MMR, as per data from the Maharashtra state transport department. Another ride hailing app for air-conditioned taxis called 'Palkhi', started by a former driver, is also likely to be relaunched next year. The app was launched in 2019 but shut down later due to issues with financing and the installation of CCTV cameras inside cabs, which did not go down well with passengers due to privacy concerns, said Praful Shinde, the owner of Palkhi Cabs. 'We are looking to upgrade our system and relaunch the app next year,' said Shinde, who drove an aggregator cab prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This Palkhi app will not have surge pricing and tariffs will be based on the Maharashtra aggregator cab policy, Shinde said.
