Traffic Police on Wednesday warned autorickshaw drivers of strict action if they fail to install fare meters and charge passengers as per meter reading from April 8.
The development came after Traffic Police city received score of complaints from public about arbitrary and exorbitant rates being charged by most of the autorickshaw drivers in the summer capital.
City traffic police also issued a formal advisory in this regard on Wednesday after holding discussion with stakeholders including various associations of autorickshaw drivers.
The fare meters will display the distance travelled by passengers and charges to be paid by them for the journey.
Currently, the autorickshaw drivers charge different rates from passengers which commuters complain are exorbitant and charged arbitrarily.
“We have been receiving lot of complaints from general public against exorbitant autorickshaw fare charges. These charges sky-rocket during evening hours,” Javaid Koul, Senior Superintendent of Police traffic city told Greater Kashmir.
The SSP said that a drive was carried against autorickshaws and most of them were found without fare meters.
“The different autorickshaw associations requested for two weeks to install meters. Strict action under law shall follow in case any autorickshaw driver fails to install it by or before 7 April 2021,” he said.
He added that in order to safeguard the interest of the general public, all the autorickshaw operators in the Srinagar city have0 been advised to install and operate digital fare meters and exhibit a sense of responsibility.
Muhammad Hanief, a commuter said that autorickshaws are an important mode of public transport in Srinagar city.
He added that it has been a long pending demand of commuters that authorities must wake up against overcharging in the absence of fare meters.
Regional Transport Officer Iqramullah Tak informed that as per government set fares for autorickshaw, a passenger has to pay Rs 39 for first 2 kilometers and Rs 17 for each subsequent kilometer.