Renting out ‘illegal’ auto-rickshaws thriving in city

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 22

Shell out Rs 300 and one can drive an auto for a day and for this, neither documents nor any identification is required.

Not only this, the auto owner gives an undertaking also that the traffic police won’t issue a challan for this.

This is perhaps the reason why anti-social elements are making the use of auto-rickshaws for committing various crimes. The recent terror attack at Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur, which led to the killing of seven people including three Home Guards Jawans and a Superintendent of Police-level officer, is a case in point.

Giving autos on rent has become a thriving business today with petty politicians and even policemen having stakes in it. However, commuters are at the receiving end and increasingly falling prey to anti-social elements.

Jagdish, a resident of Chandigarh who works in the city, fell prey to an auto-rickshaw gang of thieves today.

He boarded an auto from Samrala Chowk and two youngsters sat with him. After travelling for a few kilometres, the auto-rickshaw drivers suddenly stopped the vehicle and told Jagdish to get down.

Soon the auto driver sped away. When Jagdish looked for cash in his pocket, he was shocked to find that Rs 12,000 were missing.

It is not a stray incident. Such incidents have become a routine due to the mushrooming of illegal autos.

According to traffic Sub-Inspector Pritam Singh, nearly 15,000 registered auto-rickshaws ply in the city, while an equal number of unregistered autos are also operating. However, sources in the police put the number of autos playing in the city over 40,000.

“A majority of autos that are illegally plying in the city are from Khanna, Jagraon, Phillaur and some other neighbouring towns. Several anti-social elements, disguising as auto-rickshaw drivers also exists,” said Pritam Singh.

Vested interests

Police sources said vested interests of police officers and petty politicians are to be blamed for the abrupt end of the auto-rickshaw registration drive.

It is being alleged that some policemen were also involved in the plying of illegal auto-rickshaws. There have been allegations that some lower-rung policemen were receiving kickbacks from illegal auto operators.

Politicians had expressed their concern to the then Police Commissioner Pramod Ban telling him that any crackdown of auto operators would seriously affect their vote bank.

Further, the traffic police also got a rap on the knuckles, when the officials of Community Policing Department refused to entertain documents.

Registration drive mere eyewash?

The auto-rickshaw registration drive that was launched with much pomp and show was mere eyewash it seems. The ambitious initiative was taken in view of the rising crime involving auto-rickshaws and the traffic police had directed all passenger auto-rickshaws to get registered with the traffic police at Sanjh Kendras.

The officials had said the auto-rickshaw operator would have to register his name and the vehicle owner's name at the Sanjh Kendra besides submitting his passport-sized photograph, mobile number and vehicle registration numberplate, a copy of the registration certificate and that of the address proof at the Sanjh Kendra.

The officials said a number of auto-rickshaw drivers had also agreed to join hands with the authorities in eradicating the illegal auto-rickshaws from the city. However, soon the vehicle verification drive came to an abrupt end.

Commuters avoid boarding Green autos for gang fear

Traffic Sub-Inspector Pritam Singh, who has spent 36 years in service, is due to retire this month. He said the gang of thieves who slip away with cash and mobile phones operates in green coloured auto-rickshaws. 

"The green-coloured autos run on LPG and are considerably smaller in size as compared to other autos that run on petrol or diesel. The gang operates en route leading hospitals as people often carry cash to clear hospital bills. Generally, two people, posing as passengers, sit in an auto. The victim carrying cash is made to sit in the centre. Once the victim sits, the auto-rickshaw driver unnecessary applies brakes, making the victim uncomfortable. Amid all this, the gang members, posing as passengers, try to slip away with the cash. In no time the auto driver, too, asks the victim to alight midway making some excuse or the other," said Pritam Singh.