8,415 Autorickshaws Checked in Last Four Days in Madhya Pradesh: Addl Transport Commissioner Enforcement
BHOPAL / As many as 8,415 autorickshaws have been checked by the enforcement team of the Transport department of the Madhya Pradesh government across the state in the past four days in compliance with the MP High Court directions.
Additional transport commissioner enforcement (ATCE), Arvind Saxena himself got off on the roads to accelerate a special checking drive in the state against the illegal transportation of the autorickshaws along with enforcement staff and regional transport officer in Gwalior on Thursday. The headquarters of the Transport Department is in Gwalior. The Enforcement head, ATCE Saxena is monitoring the drive. A day after the Court’s directions, the transport department along with the police has started a statewide extensive checking drive against illegal transportation of passenger autos. Traffic police of the state are also included in the drive.
Taking a serious note, a double bench of the principal seat of the MP High Court, Jabalpur comprising Chief Justice R V Malimath and Justice V K Shukla had on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with the transport department and state police while hearing public interest litigation (PIL).
“An extensive checking drive has been run by the Transport department since 23 November across the state in compliance with the honorable Court. A total of 8,415 autorickshaws have been checked in the last four days”, ATCE Saxena told The Sun Today. “Divisional deputy transport commissioners, all transport officers of the 51 districts, flying squads in-charge, and check posts in-charge have been engaged in the drive. Thousands of autorickshaws have been found without license, fitness, and PUC (pollution under control) during the checking and hundreds have been seized”, Saxena said.
The seat had also expressed displeasure with the transport commissioner (TC) over inaction against illegal transportation of autorickshaws. TC Mukesh Jain attended the court proceedings on Monday through video conferencing. The Court also said that the petition would be taken up for every Monday and a compliance report would be produced on every hearing.
The bench had said that both departments are unable to complete the task of actioning against the illegal transportation of autorickshaws and also said it may appoint another agency to do the same.
The PIL which is still pending before the court was filed by Satis Kumar Verma, a resident of 271, Satna Building, Jabalpur on 2 January 2013. Basically, the petition was filed to prevent the illegal plying of autorickshaws in Jabalpur city only but its scope has been expanded across the state by the Court. The principal secretaries of the Departments of Transport and Home Affairs of the state and others have been made respondents in the petition.
