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Delhi Cabinet's illegal decision |
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Please read the next sub-chapter for details of the Delhi
Cabinet's decision on which it had to beat a retreat. This was
an illegal attempt to give Bajaj Auto Ltd. a revenue of 200
crore rupees. |
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Permit Transfer fee hiked from Rs.15 to Rs.2,000 |
|
Until 2004, the permit transfer fee was Rs.15. It was suddenly
hiked 133 times to Rs.2,000. Imagine the public outcry if such a
hike was imposed on, say, ownership
transfer of a car which continues to be just about Rs.200. |
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312 auto stands on paper, none on the ground |
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In the last quarter of 2004, Delhi Traffic Police had notified a
list of 312 auto stands across Delhi. Civic authorities such as
MCD and NDMC were supposed to create necessary infrastructure at
the notified places, but after more than two years, not even a
sign has been posted anywhere. The result is that parking of an
autorickshaw for even a minute anywhere in the city is illegal.
A driver cannot even wait for passengers. He is supposed to
remain in motion in perpetuity. The failure of the civic
authorities gives the traffic police and other government
agencies one more excuse to extort money from hapless auto
drivers. |
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Ban on sale and purchase of autorickshaws for 4-5 years |
|
Between 1998 and 2003, there was a total ban on the sale and
purchase of autorickshaws. This meant that an auto driver's fate
got tied to his vehicle and he couldn't take up any other
profession. Conversely, an outsider couldn't enter this
profession either. Of course, the reality was quite different.
Human beings are quite innovative in working around the
obstacles. Unfortunately, innovative methods came with side
effects, some of which are dealt with in the chapter "how owners
became renters". |
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Illegal challans |
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Most challans issued to autorickshaw drivers are illegal and a
blatant violation of the CrPC and Motor Vehicles Act. Every
instance of impounding of vehicles by Delhi Traffic Police is
illegal. Many Traffic Courts act as agents of the government and
judges often refuse to allow an accused to defend himself. |
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Autorickshaws illegally forced to wait at prepaid booths |
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There is no law that allows a police or a transport officer to
force an autorickshaw driver to wait at railway stations, bus
terminals and other prepaid booths. However, absence of a law
does not stop authorities from indulging in such practices,
causing enormous loss to auto drivers who are forced to crowd at
a place with low demand as time slips by at a cost of of Rs.30
per hour to the driver. |
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Passengers illegally forced to buy prepaid vouchers |
|
Mr. M.S. Upadhye, additional commission of traffic police, has
confirmed in writing in response to our RTI application that it
is upto the passenger whether he wants to go by the meter or he
wants a prepaid voucher. Yet, the contractors sitting at prepaid
counters and traffic policemen hovering around remain blissfully
(or intentionally?) unaware of this legal position. |
|
Auto drivers victims of extortion at prepaid booths |
|
An autorickshaw driver is supposed to encash a prepaid voucher
within one month. If he doesn't, the money stands forfeited.
Since 2001, a staggering amount of over Rs.14,00,000 belonging
to auto and taxi drivers has been forfeited by the traffic
police. Moreover, when an auto driver approaches the prepaid
counter to encash a voucher, he is usually made to part with a
sum of Rs.5 or so over and above the legal commission. This is
official - and petty - extortion at its worst. |
