Hefty penalties sting vehicle owners in Telangana

Hyderabad: The owners of auto-rickshaws and cabs are pinched by the hefty penalties that are being levied on them due to the recent changes necessitated in the Central Motor Vehicle Act. As most of the penalties run into thousands of rupees, they are angry as there was no prior information on the enhanced rates. After the implementation of new rates from April 1, the owners are running from pillar to post to make their payments.

Mohammed Basheer, owner of a cab service said, "When I booked a slot in automated online services for checking the fitness of the vehicle, I was shocked to see the penalty amount of Rs 47,350, which was started from mid-2019 from the day of lapse." Likewise, there are several hundreds of cab owners whose penalty runs into thousands of rupees. Shaik Salauddin, chairman Telangana State Taxi and Drivers Joint Action Committee, said that neither the government nor the road transport authority has created any awareness regarding the new norms.

"When the cab owner or the driver goes for checking the fitness of the vehicle, the penalty pops up and that too, in thousands of rupees. Most of these drivers belong to lower class or lower middle class. From where they can cough up huge amounts to pay the hefty penalties?" he asked Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union general secretary M Dayanand said, "The orders were passed to implement it from April 1, but the State government is charging the late fee from the lapsed date. This is nothing but a daylight robbery by the RTA authorities."

He said that nobody had stopped the RTA officials from giving wide publicity in newspapers and television channels. Citizens should not be made to pay for the mistakes committed by the officials, he added. While for the auto-rickshaw drivers, they had to pay the amount more than the resale amount of the auto-rickshaw. As per the application number TS011/4609 of the auto-rickshaw, the late fee penalty is Rs 48,250. The driver was shocked to learn that he needs to pay such a hefty amount as penalty for the delay in getting the vehicle fitness certificate. As per earlier rates, the auto driver was needed to pay Rs 260 as the fee and get a fitness certificate. But the latest rule of penalty of Rs 50 per day meant that he had to pay a hefty amount.

The Telangana Auto Drivers JAC member A Sathi Reddy said there were thousands of auto drivers who were facing difficulties. "JAC has demanded the government to withdraw the increased charges. The fee being collected is very high which will burden the vehicle owner. In protest against the Central government orders, the JAC has already announced an indefinite 'Auto Bandh' in the city from April 11," informed Sathi Reddy.