Do not charge excess fare; RTO tells rural auto rickshaw drivers

Mangaluru: RTO office has received complaints from the passengers about auto rickshaw drivers of rural area charging excess fare, though there is a rule to install a meter in their auto rickshaws, said In-charge Regional Transport Officer (RTO), R M Verneker speaking at the ‘Janaspandana’ programme organized at the RTO office on Tuesday, and also assured that strict action will be taken in the near future after verifying the facts.

“Auto rickshaw drivers in the rural areas are charging the fare according to their whims and fancies. Though meters are installed and a minimum fare of Rs 25 is fixed in city limits, this rule is not followed by rural auto rickshaw drivers. In the rural areas, the auto rickshaw drivers are charging a minimum of Rs 30 to travel even one kilometre. The rural people are facing this atrocity every day. Strict action should be taken against the rural auto rickshaws,” said G K Bhat, social activist speaking on the occasion.

Mr. Verneker  responded to  the complaint raised by G K Bhat and said , “If there are incidents of auto rickshaw drivers charging excess fare from passengers in rural areas, then a complaint may be registered in the respective RTO office quoting the registration number of the auto rickshaw. In the software of the RTO office, the details of such auto rickshaw will be noted and when they approach the RTO in the future for the registration process, suitable action will be taken on them.”

Several issues were raised in the interactive meeting including compulsory display of board in Kannada in buses, providing bus facility to Kankanady railway station, action against buses that deviate from their original route and providing parking space for express buses coming from Udupi to Mangaluru near Suratkal over-bridge and others.