Mumbai traffic police tames Borivli auto drivers

Catching an auto-rickshaw at Borivli west in the evening peak hours to go home was always a nightmare. The scene of four or five people madly running behind an empty auto to try their luck of hiring it was very common in Borivli West till last week.
The Traffic Police has at last woken-up, thanks to Mumbai Police Commissioner, Rakesh Maria's initiatives and has realized that disciplining and making available autos to passengers is also part of their job. One could now stand in the queue outside the Borivli Station near the ticket counter and hire an auto to anywhere.
Sashikant Talegaonkar, Sr. Police Inspector, In-charge of Borivli, Traffic Division said that his officers will be always stationed at both Borivli West and East who will see that autos do not solicit passengers on the road but would come to the stand directly. "Hiring an auto would be now so easy and one will have to only spend few minutes standing in the queue. One thing we wanted the auto drivers to understand was that the passengers are not on their mercy, but they are on passenger's mercy", said Talegaonkar.
Talegaonkar also confirmed that his department has already taken action against more than 70 auto-rickshaw drivers of Gorai in last week alone. More action is on the way and he said they have written to their counterparts in the police department for their support.
Nand Kishore Patil, Asst. Sub-Inspector, Traffic who controls the auto line in Borivli West felt that while hundreds of auto-rickshaws are roaming around in Borivli, why they should not be easily made available to passengers. "Any complaint regarding over charging or plying the autos without putting on the meter, if brought to our notice would be dealt strongly", assured Patil.
Prabha Pillai, Copy Editor of a leading journal and a resident of Shanti Ashram in Borivli West was very happy that now she can shop her daily requirement of vegetables from the Borivli market and could easily catch an auto to go home. "Earlier none of the auto-rickshaw drivers used to come to Shanti Ashram area complaining that they do not get return passengers from there to station side. Hats off to the traffic police who have at least now felt that the auto drivers should be taught a lesson and brought under the law", said Prabha.