Hey Auto, do you have a permit to run?

KOCHI: Tension is mounting between autorickshaw drivers who have city  permits and those who plying in the city without permits. The Association of City Permit Drivers (ACPD) has decided to move High Court with a contempt petition against the police for not implementing the previous order of the   court directing the police to take action against non-permit autorickshaws.The ACPD leaders alleged that the service by non-permit autorickshaws was one major reason why some drivers charged extra. As many as 4,600 drivers  have been issued city permits, but auto rickshaws without   permit are  twice the number. “In such a situation, it is difficult for us to  earn an amount for decent living by just charging the meter amount. It is  true that most of us are forced to charge extra amount,” a permit driver  said.Though they had won a legal battle to clear away non-permit autorickshaws,  the officials are least interested in implementing the law, the ACPD leaders  said. “Sometimes, the non-permit auto drivers even dare to block us. The   police officer in-charge also took a stand in support of the non-permit drivers,” said ACPD vice-president K Muraleedharan. However, the police deny the allegations raised by ACPD. According to police, 50 autorickshaw drivers, who had been plying at Vyttila for the  past few years, had been granted permits to conduct service from the Mobility Hub auto stand. The request by the ACDP to reserve permissions only   for those who have city permits will be considered when the mobility hub  auto stand is expanded.  The ACDP has also urged  a revamp of auto-stand system in the city. A driver in the city is not permitted to use any stand within the city limit,  so they have to charge the return amount also. The association also added  that even autorickshaws from Thiruvananthapuram commute in the city. Autorickshaws with permit at Kakkanad, Chottanikkara, Tripunithura,  Chempukavu, Vazhakala and Angamaly are also dominating the city roads. The traffic police officials are not taking the issue seriously, ACPD official said.