Auto harassment relief for banglore public | Auto harassment compliant with NGO

This posting is in continuation with my earlier posting on https://www.knowinfonow.com/2010/10/auto-harassment-complain-online-in.html .. now here is the more update as published in time of india news paper.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

TAKE ON RUDE AUTO DRIVERS

AARTHI R

Harassed by demanding auto drivers There is more than one agency and at least three immediate helplines you can turn to.

Majority of these helplines have been available for more than a year now.There are over 2.5 lakh autos in the city.But common experience on the road reveals at least one in every four-five auto drivers is the cause of some problem or the other for commuters.Strangely,these helplines tend to get only 10 to 50 complaints a day.

CALL FOR HELP

The various offences for which one can lodge a complaint at any of these helplines are:

Refusal to come to your destination,Demanding excess fare ,Using rough language ,Cheating the commuter by taking longer routes,etc

Faulty meters

Sexual assault

Driver ID not displayed

Heres a quick glance at some helplines for commuters

080-25588444/ 555

Managed by the traffic department.Guarantees action of Rs 100 penalty on drivers who overcharge or refuse to take you to your destination.However,there is a procedure involved which includes booking a case and issuing notice to the driver,and giving him one months time.It takes 48 hours to generate the notice.

This helpline of the transport department operates under strict timings (10am to 5.30pm).When you call,theres immediate response to assist you on the procedure.But action involves a detailed procedure.Under normal circumstances,it will take at least a week or two to find answers.

Another helpline of the transport department thats been operational for over a year now.The same procedures hold good here as well,including the timings and only from Monday to Saturday.

A peoples helpline was recently launched.Managed by an NGO,complaints received are instantly redirected to the transport department email id.The best part is that it works round the clock and on all days.

Text: kiirti {message} to 56677

email: contact@kiirti.org

By our constant effort to overcome Auto harassment menance in Bangalore stingent mechanisms are coming out and this will bring relief to commuters.

The city can finally boast of a helpline to take on demanding auto drivers on the spot,even on Sundays.

Just a few days old,the new helpline and control room introduced by the transport department at all its 10 offices (RTOs) has been working from 9am to 7pm tackling complaints against errant auto drivers.(See box for helplines)

Its only equipped with a two-member squad and no faulty meter-testing devices,but at least it offers immediate response,unlike the earlier helplines.It brings an inspector on the spot.

Each control room has an information officer who will take down complaint details and a vehicle inspector will visit the spot.The vehicle inspector can file a police complaint against the driver if need be.

Even commuters in remote areas like Nelamangala have a helpline for relief.This was also tested by TOI.Calling 27726886 anytime,theres an information officer to take down details of the auto and the place you are stuck in.

The response time,however,varies from place to place based on traffic and accessibility.Under normal circumstances,you have to wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes.It may take longer if theres traffic and also if the address is wrong, comes a reply in Kannada.

Technically,December 18 was the last day for the twoweek trial for this set-up,but the transport department is continuing with it.We havent received too many complaints as of now;it was only a trial run and not publicized much.However,we plan to continue with this set-up and will look at improvizing it in stages with more people,better equipment and 24×7 service, a senior official told TOI.

HOW IT STARTED

This set-up is based on the departments observation of increasing complaints against auto drivers and that RTOs have been unable to take action against the owners in several cases.In earlier cases,RTO officials found that autos involved had fake registrations and hence they couldnt trace the drivers/owners.The new control room will counter this and ensure swift action across the city.

The initiative is partly in response to complaints on Auto Watch,a website where citizens are registering their complains about fares,faulty metres and other issues.

Sudha Nair,project community manager for Kiirti who has been working on the initiative,is impressed but feels more is needed.I was helped near Koramangala using this helpline.We need such control rooms but it should start working 24×7.More people and better equipment are required.The staff also need powers to dispose the matter on the spot.Without these,there would again be delays and the complaints are likely to remain as they are, she explained.

Auto menace Help will reach you in a jiffy

Aarthi R

Bangalore: The city can finally boast of a helpline to take on demanding auto drivers on the spot,even on Sundays.

Just a few days old,the new helpline and control room introduced by the transport department at all its 10 offices (RTOs) has been working from 9am to 7pm tackling complaints against errant auto drivers.(See box for helplines)

Its only equipped with a two-member squad and no faulty meter-testing devices,but at least it offers immediate response,unlike the earlier helplines.It brings an inspector on the spot.

Each control room has an information officer who will take down complaint details and a vehicle inspector will visit the spot.The vehicle inspector can file a police complaint against the driver if need be.

Even commuters in remote areas like Nelamangala have a helpline for relief.This was also tested by TOI.Calling 27726886 anytime,theres an information officer to take down details of the auto and the place you are stuck in.

The response time,however,varies from place to place based on traffic and accessibility.Under normal circumstances,you have to wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes.It may take longer if theres traffic and also if the address is wrong, comes a reply in Kannada.

Technically,December 18 was the last day for the twoweek trial for this set-up,but the transport department is continuing with it.We havent received too many complaints as of now;it was only a trial run and not publicized much.However,we plan to continue with this set-up and will look at improvizing it in stages with more people,better equipment and 24×7 service, a senior official told TOI.

HOW IT STARTED

This set-up is based on the departments observation of increasing complaints against auto drivers and that RTOs have been unable to take action against the owners in several cases.In earlier cases,RTO officials found that autos involved had fake registrations and hence they couldnt trace the drivers/owners.The new control room will counter this and ensure swift action across the city.

The initiative is partly in response to complaints on Auto Watch,a website where citizens are registering their complains about fares,faulty metres and other issues.

Sudha Nair,project community manager for Kiirti who has been working on the initiative,is impressed but feels more is needed.I was helped near Koramangala using this helpline.We need such control rooms but it should start working 24×7.More people and better equipment are required.The staff also need powers to dispose the matter on the spot.Without these,there would again be delays and the complaints are likely to remain as they are, she explained.

Central Zone : 25533525                North Zone : 23376039

West Zone 23324388                     Sourth Zone 26630989


East Zone : 25253726                    Jnanabharathi : 28602833


Electronic City : 25735522             Yelahanka : 28561525


K.R Puram : 25617951                  Nelemangala : 27726886

As published in times of india