Automen unions to challenge ‘expensive’ move of installing e-meters

Automen in the city have reacted strongly to the state government’s move to make it mandatory to install electronic meters in autorickshaws and said they would approach the court to challenge the decision.

Automen’s union leader Thamby Kurien, who has reportedly broken away from Sharad Rao’s union, said they would get the decision stayed and would approach the high court to present their side of the case.

Unhappy with the move, union leader Shashank Rao said they would challenge the decision.

Automen’s union said they have been opposing the electronic meters as they would be expensive to be installed and difficult to maintain, unlike in taxis where they are locked. The e-meters will be prone to bad weather and theft in autorickshaws. “Cases of e-meter theft will go up in autorickshaws and they will become non-affordable to autorickshaw drivers,” said another union leader.

Government officials said they were forced to go in for electronic meters as cases of meter tampering were on the rise. Auto unions said that even electronic meters can be tampered with.

Earlier this year, the autorickshaw union came out in support of electronic meters on condition that if the meters installed are found to be tampered with, RTO officials should initiate action against the manufacturers and not the drivers.