At 71K, BRTS ridership affects auto drivers

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 23

The ridership of the metro buses touched the 71,000 mark on Friday. BRTS authorities have been claimed that they never expected that much response. On the 31-km BRTS route, the metro bus has become the first preference of passengers.

The overwhelming response being received by the metro buses has led to resentment among autorickshaw drivers. Earlier, in the absence of formal public transportation, autorickshaws and rickshaws were the only mode of transportation for residents.

According to information, most of the drivers, who operated autorickshaws on rental basis, have jumped to other jobs. Even several, who own autorickshaws, have shifted to such routes where BRTS services are not available.

Due to it, some autorickshaw drivers attacked a BRTS bus driver at Verka. BRTS authorities have lodged an FIR. “We don’t know that how much autorickshaw drivers have been affected with the start of the BRTS service. We are ferrying almost 70,000 passengers every day. There have been some incidents when autorickshaw drivers had a brawl with bus staff. We dealt strictly as per the law,” said Inderjeet Singh, CEO.

Meanwhile, autorickshaw drivers say the affect on their business will last only for three months till when the bus service is free. Once the metro bus service starts charging, passengers will return back to autorickshaws, they add.