Drivers oppose bar on rural autorickshaws entering Udupi city, urge administration to streamline the system

According to one member of the autorickshaw union, as many as 40 autorickshaw parking lots were identified in the year 2000. Each lot was assigned a specific number of vehicles. Despite the number increasing three times, authorised parking lots did not increase. Out of the 60 lots at present, 20 are unauthorised.

Representatives of autorickshaw drivers and owners’ unions objected to barring autorickshaws in Zone 2 entering Udupi city and urged the city administration to streamline the system.

Participating in a meeting convened by the City Municipal Council (CMC) at Udupi, representative Shivanand Moodabettu said whenever autorickshaws from rural areas enter the city, even for emergencies of passengers, police would impose a penalty. Those vehicles were within the Udupi urban agglomeration. However, they are now considered aliens after the zones were formed, he said.

Another representative Gopalakrishna Shetty said as many as 40 autorickshaw parking lots were identified in the year 2000. Each lot was assigned a specific number of vehicles. Despite the number increasing three times, authorised parking lots did not increase. Out of the 60 lots at present, 20 are unauthorised, he said.

Mr. Shetty further said there are 3,395 autorickshaws in Zone 1 and 3,643 in Zone 2, as on February 7. Drivers and owners and represented by as many as seven unions. The administration should ensure better coordination and functioning of the system, he said.

MLA Yashpal Suvarna said the city administration would take a suitable decision that benefits the general public, the drivers and the owners. “Everyone should abide by the decision,” he said.

CMC President Prabhakar Poojary, Municipal Commissioner Uday Kumar Shetty and others were present.