Hungry for bigger profits, some autorickshaws are flouting rules while ferrying children to school. Taking serious note of the offence, the regional transport offices (RTOs) and the Mumbai Metro Regional Transport Authority (MMRTA) have launched a major drive to put an end to the illegal activity.
“The use of autorickshaws to ferry schoolchildren is prohibited under the law. The schools will have to try and make parents understand that they are compromising on their kids’ safety. Meanwhile, we will take strict action against the errant auto operators,” Deepak Kapoor, state transport commissioner, said on Monday.
The law doesn’t permit autorickshaws to carry more than three adults and four children. But it has been noticed in the MMRTA areas that some autos carry more than three times that number, endangering the lives of the kids.
It has been further noticed that some auto rickshaw owners have fixed additional wooden benches to accommodate more students. Some kids are even made to sit in the front with the auto driver, flouting all safety norms.
“The autos are hired by parents who cannot afford costly private buses. It is the responsibility of the school managements to convince such parents to opt for the much cheaper, and at the same time, reliable, BEST or local public transport vehicles,” Kapoor said.
