Drivers overrun fare meters, fair charges

KOCHI: After the massive drive against autorickshaws plying without meters last month, the drivers of the three-wheelers are back to demanding fares that are not in accordance with the fare reflected on the meters.The autos plying in Kaloor, Palarivattom, Edappally and Vyttila region hardly use any meter. They are rarely checked in these areas that fall under Edappally traffic station. And in the areas like M G Road, Marine Drive and Thevara, where checking is done, the autorickshaw drivers know how to trick the policemen.“Last Saturday, I was travelling from Palarivattom to Kaloor in an autorickshaw that did have a meter but was not turned on by the driver. When I reached Kaloor, the driver asked for `40. When I asked him to show the meter reading, it showed `40. I think that the meter remain fixed throughout and drivers alter it according to their will,” said Ramachadran, a government employee.According to police officials, the drive was conducted to regularise fare meter in the city. “Last month, we had conducted checks and all the autos were forced to use the meters. It turned out to be a success as we saw that all the autorickshaws within the city limits were following the meters. However, there are complaints that some of the autorickshaw drivers have been refusing to use fare meters. Though, we have taken action against such complaints, there are still some issues to be cleared,” a police official said.The meters are fixed just to escape the police action as most of the auto drivers are not ready to take passengers if they demand meters to be put on. “If the passengers have any bitter experience with any of the autorickshaw drivers, they can register a complaint by giving the registration number of the autorickshaw and the time of the incident, with the police. We will track them within 24 hours and action would be taken. One thing we have seen is that the public are not willing to register a complaint and get involved in police and legal hurdles. So they just pay the charge that is demanded by the autorickshaw drivers,” the police official said.