City police write to DC to remove over two-decade-old cap fixed on number of autorickshaws to be operated in Mangaluru

Mangaluru Police Commissioner seeks to lift cap on autorickshaws due to population growth and increase in e-autorickshaws.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner has written to the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan to lift the cap fixed by the Regional Transport Authority 27 years ago on the number of autorickshaws to be operated in the city.

To a question from an autorickshaw driver on the threat to livelihood due to increasing e-autorickshaws in the city during his phone-in programme on Friday, May 24, Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said the cap was imposed in 1997 when Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts were together. Then the population of Mangaluru city was at about 1.97 lakh. The cap was not altered later notwithstanding the formation of the Udupi district. It remained unchanged when autorickshaws were getting registered separately for each of the taluks of Dakshina Kannada.

As the population of Mangaluru is now at about 8 lakh, there is a need to lift the cap. “We have written to Mr. Muhilan to lift the cap. Mangaluru Regional Transport Officer has also submitted a report. A couple of meetings were held in this regard. Mr. Muhilan has to take a decision,” Mr. Agrawal said.

Mr. Agrawal said with the operation cost of electric autorickshaws being zero, there are a good number of e-autorickshaws operating in the city. “As these autorickshaws are environment-friendly, there cannot be any restriction on their operation. We cannot stop e-autos,” he said.

To a question by Joseph D’Souza on the problem caused to motorists and pedestrians because of street vendors selling fruits and other eatables on the pavements on the Falnir Road, Mr. Agrawal said the relocation of street vendors from Falnir and other roads of the city was a complicated issue as it involves the livelihood of vendors. “All stakeholders should be involved in the drive,” he said.

A senior citizen compalined on the problem caused because of wrong side movement of vehicles on the service road near Karnataka Bank Head Office, near Pumpwell Circle. Another caller asked Mr. Agrawal to prevent garage operators from parking vehicles on the road. A caller thanked the police for prompt action in restoring road hump near SCS Hosptial in Bendoor that had been removed while concreting the road stretch.