190 rickshaws fitted with electronic meters

About 190 autorickshaws in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were installed with electronic meters during the two-day awareness drive held by road traffic offices last weekend.

Speaking to DNA Road Transport Officer (RTO) Pune, Arun Yeola said, “The awareness drive was a success, as auto-drivers came over to the RTO and installed electronic meters from authorised dealers on their vehicles.”

Jitendra Patil of the Pimpri Chinchwad RTO, said “PCMC has 5,000 autorickshaws, and in two days 55 electronic meters were installed.”

The drive was taken up by the RTOs after government made it compulsory for autos to have electronic meters.

Though the decision was announced about two years ago, questions were raised by some activists, and the issue was pending in court.

Patil said, “In a recent decision by the Supreme Court, it has been made compulsory for all autos to have electronic meters, and since the government issued a GR stating the compulsion, this awareness drive was conducted.”

The RTOs have decided to give yearly fitness renewal only to autorickshaws with electronic meters.

According to RTO officials, the best part about the meters is that with least possible moving parts in this instrument there is almost zero tolerance for tampering, thus giving people a fair calculation of the fare.

The meter has a special clock, and after mid-night when drivers demand one-and-a-half times the usual fare, the clock sets itself in that mode to give the correct fare.