The cops are launching a special drive from Saturday to ensure women are safe in autorickshaws crowded with men co-travellers, said city police chief Amitesh Kumar.
The CP said zero tolerance policy would be followed while dealing with autorickshaws, e-rickshaws, trucks and private luxury buses violating traffic rules. Kumar said that protecting women’s modesty in public transport like autorickshaws and e-rickshaws has been made a priority.
To make women feel safe, Kumar has urged women cops from Bharosa cell, Damini squad and other units to look out for women travelling in public transport uncomfortably, either due to overcrowding of men traveller, or petty thieves. The drive was discussed at a joint meeting of city police traffic wing chaired by Kumar with officials from Regional Transport Office (RTO), zonal deputy commissioners of police, and Joint CP Aswathi Dorje. Cops would discipline movement and parking of autorickshaws, e-rickshaws, private luxury buses and trucks.
“We have data of criminal background of 240 auto drivers. We will warn them,” said Kumar. Besides enforcement of parking rules, Kumar said RTO officials have been asked to help police restrict erickshaws to smaller lanes only. “E-rickshaws would be detained if plying without registration number, or seen on arterial roads like Central Avenue, Kamptee Road etc,” he said.
The CP has also instructed traffic cops to remove illegally parked trucks from Jaripatka and Pardi localities. “If owners do not shift them to designated parking places, we will take action against them,” said the top cop. Kumar also said movement of private luxury buses and their parking will be regulated. “Buses pick passengers from roads, blocking traffic. Their parking too disrupts traffic flow,” he said. “There would be regular review of the drive by senior officials,” he said, adding he would pay surprise visits to check the fieldwork.
