Overloaded autos in Nagpur raise questions over traffic police action

The issue of autorickshaws carrying more passengers than their capacity on Nagpur's roads is back in discussion. People are asking where the traffic police action on this is.

A standard passenger auto is mentioned as permitted to carry three passengers besides the driver. Even so, carrying four or five passengers is said to be common in many autos in the city. In some cases, it has been alleged that 12 to 14 people are seated in a single auto.

In the city, action is taken against drivers for not wearing helmets, not wearing seat belts or jumping signals. But the question now being raised is how strict the action is in cases of autos carrying more passengers than their capacity.

Complaints keep coming that in several areas passengers are carried both inside and outside the auto. This affects traffic management and may also endanger passenger safety.

When autos carry more passengers than capacity, the risk of an accident can rise on sudden braking, when balance is lost on a turn, or in a collision with another vehicle. Compromising passenger safety for higher earnings is a matter of serious concern.

Autos ply continuously in areas such as Sitabuldi Main Road, the Nagpur railway station premises, Itwari market, Gandhibagh, Cotton Market Chowk, Ganeshpeth bus stand, Sakkardara Chowk, Chhatrapati Chowk, Sadar, Jaripatka, Automotive Chowk, Manewada and Medical Chowk.

At these places, autos are stopped suddenly on the road to pick up and drop passengers, and complaints of traffic being held up are also raised. In such crowded areas, regular checks on monitoring and compliance with rules are considered necessary.

In view of the problem of oversitting, the traffic police are being asked to run a special drive at major intersections and auto stands. The need to act as per the rules against repeat offenders and to make the action figures public has also been stated.

Following traffic rules is necessary for all drivers. The question is when effective monitoring of overloaded autos in the city will increase. Ensuring compliance with the rules beforehand, rather than acting after an accident, is important for passenger safety.