Roadside mechanics can tamper with e-metres, leading commuters to pay hefty fares
Beware, the auto and taxi fares could soon drill a deep hole in your pocket. The transport department has devastatingly failed as far as the efficient handling of e-meters is concerned. The roadside repairers can open and check e-meters which leaves room for tampering. This leads to the scope of fares galloping.
The tweaking of the meters happens when drivers and permit-holders take their vehicles for repairing. Whenever there is a fault in the e-meter, the drivers go to the authorised repairers.
The authorised meter repairers are allowed to check e-meters under the Motor Vehicle Act. This happened nearly a year ago when the government took a decision on the same. Auto and taxi drivers approach the repairers when the e-meter has error such as faults with display the timing or the seal get damaged. “We check around 15 meters daily. We maintain data about the meters checked and replaced by us,” said a mechanic. They charge around Rs 450-500 every e-meter.
Sources, however, said there is no control on these repairers. “Although these repairers claim to maintain data, they don’t update us about the e-meters inspected,” said an RTO officer.
This means there is a possibility that the repairers can tamper with the meters and they might not even update their registration. As per process, if the e-meter has to be opened, the repairer has to open four different seals, repair it and send it back to the authorised institute for putting a new seal before allowing the rickshaw to ply on road.
Earlier, RTOs were supposed to send an official note along with the driver after which repairer would open the e-meter. Then came the unauthorised e-meter repairers who operated roadsides. These are the ones who charge Rs 1200-2000 for installing what they call ‘ghoda’.
Sources said that these unauthorised repairers carefully attach another wire with the seal, connected to the e-meter and engine, and provide a button that would augment the pulse of the e-meter. It leads to shooting fares much faster. The button is concealed and isn’t visible to the passenger. A driver can switch the button on, especially during long-distance journeys.
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