The cheapest mode of transport in Cuttack is also the riskiest.Partha Das, a commuter, faces a dilemma every day - whether or not to shun Cuttack’s ubiquitous auto-rickshaws. Each time Das gets into a three-wheeler, he cannot escape this sinking feeling that he might lose his limbs and even his life as the overloaded vehicle careens down the crowded streets of the city.Yet, like most commuters, he has little choice but to clamber into an auto-rickshaw. They are cheaper than other modes of transport. They’re also more easily available. And they get you to your destination, getting in and out of city traffic snarls.Even as auto-rickshaws may have become the most affordable mode of transportation for the city teeming with a population of 5,34,654 (according to 2001 census), but the sharp increase in their numbers in the past couple of years has become a major headache for the urban planners and the law enforcing agencies.With over 4000 auto-rickshaws plying on the city roads, the issues related to traffic have increased. And the auto-rickshaw menace takes different forms.Earlier, the police and transport officials had imposed the three-plus-one passenger, including driver, norm in the wake of an Odisha High Court order in November 2009 to stop overloading of passengers in the auto-rickshaws. As part of the PIL on civic problems in Cuttack, it had been alleged before the Court that most auto-rickshaws violate the rules and pack as many people and children as possible inside their vehicles flouting all rules.The Motor Vehicles Act stipulates that no more than three adults should travel in an auto-rickshaw.However, even today the auto-rickshaws can be seen plying with three passengers in the front, including the driver in many parts of the city. “Travel by share auto-rickshaws, even for a short distance, is a cause of concern. During rush hours, these share auto-rickshaws carry at least five to seven persons against the permitted three. Drivers sometimes persuade more persons to get in, leaving very little space in their cabin. There may be hardly any place to sit,” says Gautam Tripathy, a commuter from Badambadi. “Just imagine three people sitting on a small bench supported by a single wheel in front,” he exclaims.“They still carry five passengers and drive as recklessly as they used to before,” said Priya Rao, a Buxi Bazaar resident who depends on autos for her daily commute to office at Link Road. Auto drivers can be seen carrying excess passengers in almost all the routes including the busy Buxi Bazaar, Badambadi, Ranihat and College Square.Auto-rickshaws are unstable vehicles and if overloaded could pose danger, admits a transport department officer. Add to it the rash driving. Sources said there are many auto drivers in the city who have no driving licence and they often ply “stolen or borrowed” vehicles. It is also alleged that the drivers resort to arrogant behaviour many a time.Apart from this, the drivers can be seen stopping the vehicle even in the middle of a busy road to pick up passengers that often results in mishaps.Though the Commissionerate Police have adopted “stricter policing”, the auto-rickshaw drivers continue to break rules with abandon. The cops say they try their best to keep errant drivers in check.“We take every action possible to prevent overloading and refusal,” says a higher official (Traffic) of the Police. He says the cops have been conducting frequent checks on shared auto-rickshaws for overcrowding, driving without permits or plying without paying road tax.“Most of these drivers are youths in the age group of 20 to 25 years which is primarily the reason why they indulge in rash driving. We have created a database of all the auto drivers and owners to catch hold of them in case of any mishap,” says the cop, adding that a minimum of 30 to 50 auto-rickshaws are everyday nabbed and fined throughout the city for over-crowding and plying without licence.He says the police also hold meetings with auto-rickshaw drivers and unions on occasions like ‘traffic week’ in January and caution them about the safety of passengers.
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