<p>Bengaluru: In a move to improve transparency and safety among autorickshaw drivers, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) is set to launch a QR code-enabled display card in the second week of January.</p>.<p>These QR codes will be linked to the Astram App and will be installed in all autos on a mandatory basis, said Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).</p>.<p>“The QR code will have similar details to what the current display cards have. While there is room to misuse the display cards, that won’t be possible with the QR codes, as it will all be verified information directly linked to our database. This eliminates the issue of drivers faking the display cards,” Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>The display cards, which were made mandatory in 2005, include details such as the driver’s photograph, address, and contact information, along with the driver’s licence and vehicle registration number. However, in the past few years, the number of autos displaying these cards has drastically reduced.</p>.<p>In 2025, only 68,000 display cards were renewed. These are issued by the office of the respective Assistant Commissioner of Police.</p>.<p>Once the QR-enabled display cards are launched, efforts will be made to strictly enforce their usage, said Reddy.</p>.<p>“In case there is an untoward incident, the passengers can get the exact details about the driver through the QR code. It will also display the contact details they can reach out to in case help is needed,” he said.</p>.<p>A similar initiative was also floated in 2023 and 2014, but failed to kick off. This time around, with the support of the auto driver unions, there will be a strong push to successfully materialise the initiative, M A Saleem, DGP and IGP of Karnataka, told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>“When I had initiated it in 2023, I couldn’t follow through as I was transferred soon after. I believe this is an important change which needs to happen. Safety is our top priority, and it will be of major help in that matter. It will help in weeding out unauthorised autos and unlicensed drivers,” he said.</p>.<p>C Sampath, General Secretary of Adarsha Auto Union, urged BTP to provide the new display cards free of cost.</p>.<p>“A major reason why auto drivers no longer have these display cards is that, every time we go to get them, the police officers ask for a fee, which is different every time. They demand whatever they wish, from Rs 100 to Rs 500, which is unfair. The new display cards are a great initiative which can help curb unlicensed drivers, who are a growing menace in the city. We hope the traffic police can cooperate with us on this matter,” he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: In a move to improve transparency and safety among autorickshaw drivers, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) is set to launch a QR code-enabled display card in the second week of January.</p>.<p>These QR codes will be linked to the Astram App and will be installed in all autos on a mandatory basis, said Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).</p>.<p>“The QR code will have similar details to what the current display cards have. While there is room to misuse the display cards, that won’t be possible with the QR codes, as it will all be verified information directly linked to our database. This eliminates the issue of drivers faking the display cards,” Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>The display cards, which were made mandatory in 2005, include details such as the driver’s photograph, address, and contact information, along with the driver’s licence and vehicle registration number. However, in the past few years, the number of autos displaying these cards has drastically reduced.</p>.<p>In 2025, only 68,000 display cards were renewed. These are issued by the office of the respective Assistant Commissioner of Police.</p>.<p>Once the QR-enabled display cards are launched, efforts will be made to strictly enforce their usage, said Reddy.</p>.<p>“In case there is an untoward incident, the passengers can get the exact details about the driver through the QR code. It will also display the contact details they can reach out to in case help is needed,” he said.</p>.<p>A similar initiative was also floated in 2023 and 2014, but failed to kick off. This time around, with the support of the auto driver unions, there will be a strong push to successfully materialise the initiative, M A Saleem, DGP and IGP of Karnataka, told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>“When I had initiated it in 2023, I couldn’t follow through as I was transferred soon after. I believe this is an important change which needs to happen. Safety is our top priority, and it will be of major help in that matter. It will help in weeding out unauthorised autos and unlicensed drivers,” he said.</p>.<p>C Sampath, General Secretary of Adarsha Auto Union, urged BTP to provide the new display cards free of cost.</p>.<p>“A major reason why auto drivers no longer have these display cards is that, every time we go to get them, the police officers ask for a fee, which is different every time. They demand whatever they wish, from Rs 100 to Rs 500, which is unfair. The new display cards are a great initiative which can help curb unlicensed drivers, who are a growing menace in the city. We hope the traffic police can cooperate with us on this matter,” he said.</p>