Taking strong note of the complaints made by the commuters that auto-rickshaws charge extra from them, the Government has issued strict instructions for installation and calibration of fare meters in all the auto-rickshaws across the state. “It has been made mandatory for all the auto-rickshaws plying in the state to get their fare-meters calibrated bi-annually from the Legal Metrology Department (LMD),” Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said while chairing a high-level meeting to review the progress of calibration of fare meters of auto-rickshaws.
The Minister said any defiance of the instructions in this regard will invite punitive action. He said it has been a common practice of the auto-rickshaws to dupe the innocent public and tourists by charging flat rates arbitrarily. “The tourists are the worst sufferers and the highhandedness of the auto-rickshaw owners has brought bad name to the state as they are charging exorbitant rates even for the destination and routes which are situated in near-by zones or areas”, asserted the Minister and added that strict enforcement in this behalf shall restore the public confidence in the measures being initiated by the present dispensation.
Zulfkar said while most of the auto-rickshaws are abiding by the rules in installing and operating the fare-meters but few black sheep are the trouble mongers. He asked the enforcement agencies and officers to deal firmly with such violators.
