Driven by 'auto'crats

COIMBATORE: A private radio station in the city, in association with a gold loan firm, had plans to identify the top three city auto drivers and award them with cash prizes. The initiative was aimed at sensitizing drivers to the growing complaints from commuters regarding their exorbitant rates and rude behaviour. The selection process was to be based on SMSes received from commuters.It was hardly surprising when less than a handful of commuters sent in positive reports on the drivers. Realizing the futility of their search, the organizers wound up the competition within two months, awarding a cash prize to A Basha, an auto driver in R S Puram, not for his fair practices, but for the colourful appearance of his vehicle.
A consolation prize was given to N Anand, an auto driver operating in the vicinity of the railway station, recognizing his readiness to charge the meter fare once the government makes it effective. "I don't use the meter now since the government has not made it mandatory. Once the state passes an order pertaining to this issue, I will charge based on meter readings," said Anand.
If you are ever stranded in Coimbatore without transport, residents will warn you that it is much easier to walk to your destination than trying to find an auto driver who uses his meter. City auto drivers have a free reign given that authorities turn a blind eye to the exorbitant rates they charge. Despite several meetings between the government and the union on the revision of auto fares, no consensus has been reached.
The minimum rate fixed by the government in 2007 was Rs 14 for the first 2km, and Rs 6 for every additional kilometer. However, auto drivers charge anywhere between Rs 60 and Rs 80 for the minimum distance. "They corner people at the railway station or bus stand and charge according to their own whims. For a distance of 3km I had to pay Rs 120," said R Rajaram, a resident of Ondipudur.
The Supreme Court has given the Tamil Nadu government time till July 6 to fix a fare structure for autos, implement it and file a compliance report before the court. However, most auto drivers are unaware about the court verdict.
Despite a surge in the demand for share autos and call taxis, auto-rickshaws continue to be extremely expensive. "People prefer call taxis as they are metered, but the delay in getting a cab forces many people to opt for autos," said N Ramani, a housewife from Puliyakulam. With the introduction of call taxis, she said that there has been some improvement in the situation, although auto drivers still have the upper hand in negotiating prices.
According to sources in the district administration, authorities have been trying to regulate auto fares, but all efforts have failed due to strong unions which resist fixed meter fares. Traffic authorities and police are also not able to bring about a change, with auto drivers resorting to demonstrations, road rokos and even self-immolation bids.
In 2007, an attempt was made to fix the minimum fare at Rs 14, but it was immediately aborted when auto driver G Kannan immolated himself to death. The proposal was rejected by Federation of Coimbatore District Auto-Rickshaw Unions, which demanded a minimum fare of Rs 20. Neeraj Mittal, then district collector, decided on the official tariff based on recommendations of a committee comprising officials and transport experts.
The official fare chart fixed 40 paise as waiting charge for five minutes. The night charge was fixed at 25 per cent more than the meter fare. It also instructed drivers to display the fare chart inside the vehicle. Efforts were altogether abandoned when G Kannan, a 36-year-old auto rickshaw driver, committed suicide.
Auto drivers now have another excuse to charge high rates - the poor condition of city roads. When I took an auto from the railway station to Puliyakulam three days ago, the driver demanded Rs 180, when I previously used to pay only Rs80. I soon found out that the additional Rs100 was for the bad roads caused by the underground drainage work," said Vijaya Krishnan, a businessman in the city.