Exorbitant fares go unchecked

The auto rickshaw drivers have been let loose to loot the passengers as per their will as majority of the drivers have failed to install the fare meters while those who have installed it charge exorbitant fares as per their will. There was a time when the concerned authorities started taking action against the auto rickshaw drivers for not obeying the guidelines set by the government, but the drive started against the norm violators didn’t sustain for a long and thus the open loot of passengers continued again. The auto rickshaw drivers are charging exorbitant rates from passengers, who complain that authorities have failed to act against the erring drivers who have failed to comply with the directions by authorities to install meters and charge passengers as per its reading. It has been observed that the auto rickshaw drivers charge nearly Rs 100 for just two kilometers distance, which has affected the passengers badly. The situation gets worse in evenings when most of the public mini buses go off the roads. There is no fixed rate, but the drivers charge as per their will, which needs to be controlled for the wellbeing of the common passengers. The exorbitant fares being charged by the auto rickshaws deter the poor people from using the transport to reach their destinations. The time has come when the concerned department should act tough in this regard and ensure that all the auto rickshaw drivers comply with the government orders and charge the fare as per the meters only so that the common passengers here could heave a sigh of relief.