Overloaded auto-rickshaws pose threat to schoolchildren

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 20

The death of a nine-year-old school student, Sakshi, after falling off from an auto-rickshaw on Monday, has raised a serious concern over the overloading of passengers on auto-rickshaws, especially the ones ferrying school children.

As per government orders, a maximum of five children up to the age of 14 years could be accommodated in an auto-rickshaw. However, more than 15 kids could be seen jostling for space inside these jam-packed autos ferrying them to schools.

Some of them could be seen seated at the edge of auto driver’s seat, unaware of the dangers they were exposed to. Investigation Officer Surinder Singh confirmed that Sakshi was also sitting on the edge of the auto-rickshaw and there were more than 5 children in the vehicle.

Inaction by officials concerned prods auto-rickshaw drivers to flout the regulation. Last year too, an auto-rickshaw carrying seven students collided with a tempo traveller, leaving them grievously injured.

Government data shows that only a few auto-rickshaw drivers were challaned for overloading of passengers. Though it’s normal to spot overcrowded auto-rickshaws, traffic police reader Narinder Singh stated that only 362 challans were issued by the traffic police this year and 635 were issues in the previous year.

Tough it has been strictly mentioned in the traffic guidelines that none of the auto-rickshaw drivers should be below 18 years of age, errant drivers have been blatantly flouting norms. Commuters say it’s mostly the minor auto-rickshaw drivers who rashly drive on roads and carelessly stop their vehicles to fetch passengers. In addition, loud music played by them in their vehicles also created noise pollution. A minor driver said whenever they were held by the traffic police, they just had to pay a challan of Rs300 and the next day, they started driving their auto- rickshaw again.