17 offenders nabbed operating rickshaws without valid permits

The traffic department has finally started cracking the whip on erring auto rickshaws that overcharge and refuse fares across the city.

As part of the initial leg of the drive across the city, traffic cops have booked around 17 rickshaw drivers and owners operating without a valid permit. A case has been registered at the Bund Garden police station's traffic division for forging symbols, registration numbers and running rickshaws without a valid permit.

PI Vijay Palsule, traffic department told MiD DAY, "These rickshaws were ordered to be scrapped by the RTO. In many cases, we have found that fake number plates were also used." The traffic department has stored all the information pertaining to legal rickshaws on its newly launched software Trafficop, which will help police identify the illegal rickshaws running in the city.

RTA member Baba Shinde told MiD DAY, "According to our estimate, around 15,000 odd rickshaws are running illegally in the city."

PSI P A Ghorpade, who is investigating the case, said, "Regional Transport Office (RTO) issues permit to rickshaw owners for five years, which is subject to renewal. But there were several rickshaws running without renewing the permit."