40,000 new permits for autos in Bangalore

Autorickshaw numbers are all set to swell in the city. The Karnataka high court on Wednesday dismissed the auto drivers’ plea challenging the state government’s decision to issue 40,000 new auto permits. The new permits will now take the total number of autorickshaws in the city to 1,25,000.

After hearing a petition filed by Mohammad Abbas, chairman, Karnataka State Auto Drivers’ Welfare Joint Action Committee and other auto associations challenging the state government’s move to increase auto permits, justice Abdul Nazeer dismissed the plea. Abbas  had challenged the decision to increase the number of autos from 85,000 to 1.25 lakh on the grounds that it will benefit the manufacturers and dealers but not the public.  

Justice Nazeer, while dismissing the plea, observed that the increase in permits will bring down unhealthy competition among autorickshaw drivers. It will also prevent auto permits being issued in the black market and help the public in transportation.

The government has also decided to phase out autos with two-stroke engines to protect the environment and issue permits only to those with four-stroke engines.

Bangalore is a growing city and the reasons for increasing auto permits are valid, observed the judge. Further, the high court said it cannot interfere in the policy decisions and dismissed the union’s plea to cancel the increase in auto permits. Abbas contended that the government had not considered road conditions and passenger density while taking the decision.