Patna: Autorickshaws plying in the state will now display a unique identification number that will help both passengers and police to track down errant drivers.
The numbers would be put on the windshield and on the rear of the vehicles for easy identification.
Senior superintendent of police B.S. Meena told that the move would help crackdown on autorickshaw drivers who hassle passengers and also cause traffic jams, breaking rules and trigger mishaps.
“The plan is to maintain a master register of autorickshaws plying on city roads. In most of the cases, people or even the police fail to take down the registration numbers of autorickshaws involved in hit-and-run cases,†said Meena
There have been many incidents of autorickshaws breaking traffic rules, skipping signals or just halting in the middle of the road to take more passengers. The registration number on the rear of the vehicle becomes difficult for many to take down. We want to make it easier for people to identify the erring auto drivers,†the officer said.
The officer added that the identification number being given to the autorickshaws would also deter the drivers from hassling passengers and violating traffic norms.
“In addition to their respective registration numbers, we will provide serial number to the autorickshaws. For example: One auto could be given serial number 1, painted in front and on the rear of the vehicle. The number will be painted with the police paint of red and blue so that people can understand that the number has been given by us. If the auto rickshaw No. 1 hits a person and is running away, people can easily read the serial number and can call us up informing about the incident. The serial number will help the complainant identify the autorickshaw,†Meena said.
The auto rickshaws will get serial numbers and a master register regarding the same will be maintained by the cops.
“Autorickshaw No. 1 will have its make, registration number, driver’s name, address and mobile number and other contact details of its owner noted down in the register,†the SSP said.
The same procedure will be followed for other autos as well. As a result, catching hold of the autos and tracking them will be very easy for the police,†the SSP added
The move will help the people too as they can easily identify and remember the number and can just call the police and identify the vehicle by the number,†the Meena said.
Sources said that the police would talk to the district transport authority in a bid to know the number of autos plying in the state capital at the moment.
Earlier, district transport officer (DTO) Harihar Prasad said that at present there were around 27,000 autorickshaws plying in Patna.
Sources, however, added that only 12 to 13 per cent of these vehicles were running on valid permits and proper papers.
Also, there are discussions about restricting the movement of the autorickshaws running on the sharing system in the capital.
Talks are on to fix up the number of shared auto rickshaws plying on different routes.
The auto drivers will not be allowed to move anywhere they want to to take passengers on their own will.