Auto drivers fume at new RTA rule

Visakhapatnam: The district road transport authority (RTA) officials came forward with a new rule as a splurge in the road mishaps was reported across the state, especially on the national highways. To put a check to such road mishaps, the RTA officials announced that the autorickshaws would not be allowed on the National Highway- 16 from 7 pm to 5 am from Thursday onwards to avoid accidents.

For more than a year, the RTA officials kept a hawk’s eye on the autorickshaw drivers through CCTVs and they noticed that many of these drivers were not following safety norms and flouting traffic rules several times. While overcrowding and lack of traffic sense have been an issue since long, many three-wheelers have also been deteriorating the city’s air quality by not following the pollution norms.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Thursday, deputy transport commissioner S Venkateshwar Rao said that the RTA officials took this decision as many accidents involving auto-rickshaws were taking place on the national highways, especially during nights.

However, the new rule will be applicable only to the road stretching from Madhurawada to Rajapulova and Anakapalle to Addu Road, with the city roads being spared. Many of the autos do not have the mandatory danger lights on the rear, making it difficult for the drivers of other vehicle notice the three-wheelers. As a result, it often leads to accidents.

On the other hand, after the stringent rules implemented by the RTA officials, over 78 auto unions leaders and autorickshaw drivers in the district took out a rally opposing the new rule.

Golagani Naidu, president of the Auto Drivers and Owners Association, lamented though the Central government was hiking both petrol and diesel prices on a daily basis, auto drivers did not interrupt their services, but now the RTA officials were seizing the vehicles on the roads and depriving them of their livelihood, without providing them alternative source of livelihood.