RTC, auto drivers fume at new rule in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The decision of traffic cops and transport department officials to suspend driving licences for repeat violation of traffic rules has not gone down well with union leaders of TSRTC and auto drivers in the city. They have threatened to go on strike if the drivers are “harassed” by traffic cops.

Telangana Mazdoor Union leader Ashwathama Reddy warned: “We will not keep quiet if RTC drivers are harassed in the name of implementation of traffic rules. We will launch an agitation.”

Traffic cops announced that driving licenses will be suspended for three months for repeat violation (twice) in cases of signal jumping, cellphone driving, over speeding, over loading of passengers and goods, in addition to drunken driving.

TSRTC National Mazdoor Union’s chief adviser M. Nageshwar Rao said Bengaluru, which has a population of nearly 1 crore – on par with Hyderabad – operates over 6,000 buses daily where as TSRTC has a 3,000-odd fleet for the city, as a result, over-loading of RTC buses is imminent.

“RTC is a public transport. Traffic cops should think twice before booking over-loading cases against RTC drivers. How can a driver or a conductor stop people from boarding a bus? People will beat them up as they rush into the buses during peak hours,” he said.

TS Autorickshaw Dri-vers’ Union state president B. Venkatesham said they would lay siege to the Assembly during the Budget session to protest the measure.

Telangana Auto Drivers Samakhya general secretary A. Sathi Reddy said 60 per cent of auto drivers do not have licences as the rules insist on a minimum education till Class 8.

Telangana State Cabs and Bus Operators Asso-ciation president Syed Nizamuddin said, “Suspension of licence would be too much as a driver knows no job except driving. The police should come out with better alternatives to rein in erring drivers.”

City seeks time on licence norm

The rule on three months’ suspension of driving  licence is strong enough, but it should be implemented only after trying out  other deterrent methods, motorists have urged the city traffic police.

Hyderabad Software Employees Association coordinator (corporate social responsibility) Pradeep Gadicherla said if cops are allowed to book such cases manually, it would give scope for massive corruption.

“Motorists would pay hefty bribes to avoid a cancellation of licence.   If traffic cops go by the e-challan method, too, there will be problems.   Only those who use computers and have online checking knowledge of e-challans would know that they have been booked. How would auto-drivers  know they have been booked for signal jumping or speeding through the e-challan method,” he asked and sought more time.

Federation of Greater Hyderabad Residents Welfare Associations   chairman Chelikani B.V. Rao said no one wanted the licence suspension rule enforced without giving road users adequate time.

“Except for newspaper reports, what else have the traffic cops done to create awareness  among motorists,” he asked.

Mr M.R. Sonu, who runs a bar and restaurant, said if traffic cops could detain motorists for a day or send them to jail for a couple of days, as a punishment for repeat violations, it would put some fear in the motorists’ minds and act  as a deterrent.