Ply or get your permit cancelled: RTO's strong message for auto drivers in Mumbai

Very soon, auto drivers in Mumbai will not be able to turn you down for a ride. If they do, they could be fined for Rs 500, this report in The Times of India said.  RTO officials in the suburbs started a drive, the report said, according to which no driver could refuse you a ride. In case they do, they have to find you another auto or a cab. “You cannot keep senior citizens, women, college students and other passengers stranded on the road," an RTO official said while speaking to The Times of India. [caption id=“attachment_1809459” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=” “]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The drive is no joke. Apart from the fine, regional transport officer PG Bhalerao told the newspaper that, if push comes to shove they could even confiscate the vehicle. The drivers, who refuse a ride to passengers, might also end up with cancelled permits. “We will suspend the permit of the driver in case he is caught on more than one occasion. If required, we may also confiscate the auto,” Bhalerao told TOI. The drive on its first day, which started in Wadala and Andheri, caught 42 errant drivers who refused to ply either due to lesser distance or more money. The innovative initiative will continue for a week and officers from RTO – both Andheri and Wadala – are posing as customers to nab erring drivers. The errant drivers were caught near prominent stations like Mulund, Ghatkopar, Kurla, Andheri and Goregaon. A week ago in a Times of India report, the state transport commissioner Mahesh Zagade had directed all RTOs to employ ‘zero-tolerance’ towards auto drivers or cab drivers refusing to ply. Even vehicles flouting norms should be dealt with an iron hand. “We have been asked to pose as commuters and hail autos outside railway stations. If a driver refuses, then we will suspend his licence / permit or impose a hefty fine,” said a senior RTO official. Another RTO team has been entrusted to enforce safety norms for school buses too, the report said.