Giving a breather to autorickshaw drivers in the City, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has extended the deadline to get their meters calibrated as per the new fare, by another three months.
The deadline has now been extended from March 20 to June 19. Among the total 1.1 lakh autorickshaws plying in the City, 70,000 still have the old calibration. The Legal Metrology Department faces an uphill task of inspecting these autorickshaws.
Department officials say that despite issuing instructions to the autorickshaw drivers to get their meters tested and sealed, they were reluctant to do so. On Tuesday, the department launched a drive at the Cantonment and the Yeshwantpur railway stations. This will continue in the days to come.
Seema K, Assistant Director, Legal Meteorology Department, told Deccan Herald, “After three months, all autorickshaws still plying with old meters will be strictly dealt with as per rules and will be penalised. Cases are being booked on the spot against autorickshaw drivers whose meters were last sealed in 2012 and a fine of Rs 500 is being imposed.
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On an average, about 600 autorickshaws are being inspected and sealed by the department every day. Going by the large number of autorickshaws still pending, the department wants to inspect at least 1,000 to 1,100 autos every day, so that it is able to inspect all autos within the stipulated period.
The March 20 deadline for meter calibration was fixed after the State government announced the hike in auto fares on December 20. The auto drivers were supposed to get their meters calibrated, with the new minimum fare fixed at Rs 25.