Autocracy of auto drivers gripped city

The daily commuters of Agartala city as well as the pedestrians, witnessing a serious crisis of authority over the auto rickshaw drivers, a role which was earlier played by the CITU wielding influence through motor-syndicates.

While speaking to the correspondent, one Anjali Saha, a public sector employee had said, it is an experience, never felt before; the auto rickshaw drivers are doing just what they want.

And now the greatest problem we face is there is no governing body, earlier when the commuters face any problem they could knock the motor-syndicate but now there is no one to stop their autocracy, alleged she.

The dilemma of people shines with a little added flavour due to the inter conflict of two unions—BMS and Sramik Unnayana Mancha. One Subhas Sarkar of Aralia alleged, few days back an auto driver charged a little higher fare while he was in way home and when he denied he misbehaved and teased him of being a beggar.

Later on, when he went to the motor stand to complaint against the driver he found two groups leaders self-introduced as BMS and Sramik Unnyan Mancha activists begun an inter-hassle instead of sorting out my query, he alleged.

Reportedly, incidents of collecting random fares forcefully also come into notice. According to sources, there are fewer roads where the passenger toll, specially willing to move towards the city goes sarcastically down but the number of passengers from the city remains the same.

Accordingly, a step of negotiation was taken to provide remedy by surcharging the one way passengers which is not at all harmful according to the commuters. But now the scenario becomes so dodgy that the drivers have started mocking the passengers to collect the extra charge even in the early evening.

However, the regulations imposed by the transport department to carry limited passengers are also found often violated, but still fails to catch the eyes of traffic police who are mere busy in counting helmets.