Rickshaw drivers fear suspension of license, protest against computerised system

THANE: With the traffic department's rule that a repeated traffic offender could get his license suspended, the auto rickshaw drivers in the city are now protesting against the law fearing suspension of their licenses in case they flout rules more than once.
The rattled auto drivers protested the new move started at the beginning of the year. The rickshaw drivers recently staged a protest on the main road from Gaondevi around the station area by blocking roads and bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill.Traffic was blocked in areas near the station and Naupada for more than an hour during peak hours. Vehicles were diverted and office goers had to bear the brunt of these protests.
Auto drivers are demanding only spot action instead of referring flouting of traffic rules to the court. The drivers are ready to pay the fine at the time of offence instead of going to court and facing legal action where there are high chances that the court may order suspension of their licenses.
The traffic department has started maintaining computerised records of traffic offenders right from the beginning of this year. The computerisation process of the traffic department has enabled cops to keep a track on repeated offenders. The details of the offender are registered in the computer. Hence, if an offender is caught for the second time, it is again recorded in the system and if he repeats the mistake for the third time, then the license would be seized. The case thereafter would be forwarded to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for suspension and the offender would be referred to court. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, a license can be suspended if a motorist is found committing an offence for more than three times.
The rule is meant for everybody and not just the rickshaw drivers. Though traffic police have taken several measures against errant motorists the most offenders found violating the traffic rules are rickshaw drivers.
Recently, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had installed a divider on Gokhale Road in order to ensure smooth vehicular traffic and has also kept some space reserved for an auto stand that ply on share basis near Gaondevi market.
These rickshaws despite such a facility, park their vehicles haphazardly on the roads and ply on wrong sides. They also accommodate more than three passengers in their vehicle at many instances.
The officials will now curb all these illegal activities by just registering the offence and maintaining details of the offenders. Repeated offenders might face the suspension of their licenses.
Vikram Deshmane, the deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) said, "The rule is meant for everybody and not for just auto drivers. We have started maintaining the records of all offenders and whatever action is taken is as per the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
No motorist or auto driver is penalised without any reason. If the vehicle owners and drivers follow traffic rules and regulations, then no one will fine them. The move is just to upgrade the existing system and to bring about discipline among motorists."