Auto drivers lose out, yet won't use meters

CHENNAI: When

Ratna Magesh

tried to book a cab from

Anna Nagar West to Alwarpet

during peak hour last week, she was shocked to see rates soar above Rs 500. “It had just rained and the fares were exorbitant because of surge pricing,” she said. “I got into an auto and ended up paying only Rs 220.”

However, as is the case with a majority of

auto rickshaws

in the city, the driver did not switch on the meter.

Despite hikes in tariff for autorickshaws and a

special toll-free number

(1800-4255430) for the public to register complaints, many auto drivers have abandoned meters.Activists say surge pricing by cabs and lack of strict checks on autorickshaws have made auto drivers defiant. The drivers complain that they have lost a significant share of business to taxi aggregators to justify charging more.

A L Manoharan, working president of CITU-affiliated

Tamil Nadu Auto Driver Federation

, says union leaders “continuously urge members to turn on meters“ but admits that 50% to 60% of auto drivers in the city do not follow the rules. “But there are only 9,000 drivers in our union out of 80,000 in the city,“ he said.“Many drivers now struggle to earn Rs 500 a day.“

An RTO official from north Chennai said his registration district receives around three complaints a week from commuters. “Passengers are unwilling or scared to complain against auto drivers on the helpline. When we receive a complaint, we seize the vehicle and the driver's permit for 10 days, and also make him sit through a session on why it is important to follow the rules,“ he said.

Traffic and Transportation Forum director V Rama Rao said that there is no “proper mechanism to check fares“ and, as a result, auto drivers and cab companies “fleece customers“. “There should be a regulatory body to check rates,“ he said.

A resident of Adambakkam, G Ranganathan, says auto drivers crowd bus stands and demand high prices during peak hours. “They also drive rashly, without any concern for traffic rules or passenger safety, “he said.