Has the hike in
petrol prices and extra charges made auto drivers stay away from the
ongoing meter re-calibration tests? At least that is the indication
going by the poor response at venues of the Legal Meteorology
Department’s road and time tests. Thousands of auto drivers were
expected to attend these tests but only 12 autos showed up on Thursday.
The department set up two centres at Singareni Colony, Dilsukhnagar and
Attapur near Mehdipatnam. PSRNT Swami, assistant legal controller said
to Express that even after sending necessary intimations to auto drivers
and unions, the response has been very poor. Recently, the state
government hiked the minimum auto fares from Rs12 to Rs 14. The per km
charge has also been increased to Rs 8, with waiting charges becoming 50
paise per two minutes from 25 paise. As part of meter
re-calibration, the legal metrology department had asked about 80,000
odd auto-rickshaws plying on city streets to attend the road and time
tests. The government had instructed authorities to complete the process
within 90 days from December 20. Swami said the department would
continue the tests for all auto-rickshaws till February 20. “We will
intimate all auto unions to attend the road and time tests. If they fail
to turn up, we will take stringent action,’’ he warned. Auto
unions, however, are hesitant to attend meter re-calibrations, with
petrol prices being hiked twice in a month. “If we have to install new
tariff software into digital meters, we will run into heavy losses under
current circumstances. While petrol prices have increased again, our
meter tariffs are still according to the old rate of petrol,” said A
Ravi Shanker, state general secretary, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh. He also
alleged that digital meter manufacturers such as Gold Tech, Right and
Sansui were charging heavy fees to install ‘chips’ into digital meters.
By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com
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