Rude auto drivers? SMS your complaint

Registering complaint against autorickshaw drivers is now just an SMS away. Aggrieved commuters who want to register complaints against drivers, refusing to extend their services according to the meter reading, could register their complaints by sending an SMS to a helpline number 56767 of Delhi traffic police.

Apart from refusal to extend services, the commuters could also register complaints through SMS in case of overcharging, misbehaviour and harassment by an autorickshaw and a taxi driver.

According to the traffic police officials, in order to make the initiative a success, they would keep the complainant posted about the action taken as well.

“Once the server recieves the SMS containing the complaints, an automatically-generated SMS would be sent back to the complainant, informing about their complaint number. Later, they would also be informed about the status of the action taken,” said joint commissioner of police (traffic) Satyendra Garg.

Garg added that very soon traffic police would also start posting updates about the action taken against the registered complaints on the traffic police website and its Facebook page.

Traffic cops said the SMS sent for registering complaint by the commuters need to contain the nature of offence, the registration number of the three-wheeler, location and the timing of offence.

The traffic officials said while action would be taken against the drivers as per the rules of Motor Vehicles Act, those who want to contest the complaint would also be given an opportunity to defend their cases.

Currently, the transport department of Delhi government has provided a helpline number on which an aggrieved commuter could dial and register their complaint.

The complaint number is printed on all the autorickshaws plying in the city.
However, the facility has not been very effective in checking malpractice by the auto and taxi drivers.

The traffic police officials said, city residents could also use the complaint number 56767 to inform the traffic cops about the traffic flow, or non-functional traffic signal, blinkers and timers, apart from sending their suggestions.