Autorickshaws to be reined in with colour coding, alarm button

In an effort to regulate plying of autorickshaws, Delhi Government today decided to introduce colour coding for vehicles based on the zones in which they operate and install an "emergency button" so that passengers can report any incident of overcharging and refusal to ply.

The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting presided by Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami.

He said the meeting decided to put different colored strips on autos for the six zones. He said once the colour coding comes into effect, autos of a particular zone will not be able to turn away passengers wishing to travel to the area in the night.

"The colour coding of autos is being implemented so that auto drivers cannot refuse to take passengers to the area or zone they belong to in the night. Throughout the day these autos can ply anywhere in the city," said Goswami.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Transport Department, Delhi Police, Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System and Delhi Transport Corporation.

Goswami said government was strongly determined to regulate autorickshaws and will come down hard against auto-drivers who harass passengers.

He said Delhi Government has requested Delhi Traffic Police and the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) to evolve a mechanism whereby harassed commuters can report any incident through the emergency buttons provided in the auto-rickshaws.

"Transport Department has decided to go ahead with the implementation of the emergency alarm button scheme. Once the passengers press the button, a message would be flashed to the DIMTS operated control room at ISBT from where the Police Control Room would be alerted.

"The Traffic Police and the Transport Department would work in tandem to prosecute the offenders and ensure punishment including cancellation of permits and impounding of vehicles," he said.

The Transport Department has cancelled permits of 183 auto rickshaws and 156 buses for violation of traffic rule. Transport Minister instructed the transport official to instal CCTV camera on DTC Buses soon.

"Security of passengers is a key issue for the government," he said.

"There is also a provision for providing various helpline numbers on the auto-rickshaw body. But we have discovered that many operators have been putting up advertisements over these thus defeating the entire exercise," he said, adding government would not allow putting up of such advertisements.