Overcrowding in Thane share-rickshaws: Buck on the passengers now to say no to 4th seat

It seems that share rickshaws in Thane are freely taking 2 passengers besides the driver by ignoring all the accident threats. Some rickshaw drivers take 4 passengers in the back seat and 2 passengers in the front seat. This is a serious violation of rules taking a toll on the safety of the passengers and risking their lives. Though the Thane traffic police are cracking down on some of the auto drivers by penalizing them, rickshaw drivers are still on the free run and some are looking at the "over-seating" formula as a means of earning profit.

Kapurbawadi traffic police PI Manjusha Bhongale says, "We are taking strict action against auto drivers who are practicing over-seating of passengers and over-loading of luggage. Kapurbawdi is a hot-junction for traffic. Regarding the over-seating violations, we constantly keep checks and balances and discuss this issue with TMC too." 

Vinayak Surve, President of the Ekta Rickshaw Taxi Chalak Malak Sena says, "The way share-rickshaw drivers are over-crowding their vehicles is totally wrong. Need to conduct more awareness campaigns and short sessions for the rickshaw drivers to educate them about this problem. Passengers should also come forward and decline to sit in an overcrowded rickshaw. Surve has been riding rickshaw since 1984 and expresses a displeasure over the rickshaw drivers not listening to the rickshaw union and suggests the police action needs to be more stringent. "There are only 10% rickshaw drivers who are with the uniforms prescribed for them. Drivers without licences and permits also illegally enter this business which viciates the whole system." 

According to the Motor Vehicle Act, Section 194A, driving a transport vehicle carrying more passengers than is authorized in the registration certificate of the particular vehicle shall be punishable with a penalty of ₹200 per excess passenger. Such vehicles shall not be allowed to move before the extra passengers are off the vehicle, and an alternate vehicle is arranged for them.

Surve claimed that the overcrowding funda is mostly observed in the share rickshaw drivers and not the metre rickshaws. Profit-earning is the prime reason for this. For instance, it costs around Rs 90 from Thane station to Manorama Nagar via a private or a metre rickshaw. Whereas, share rickshaw drivers charge Rs 30 per seat for the same destination. Some rickshaw drivers take 4 passengers at the back and 2 at the front seat making the total profit cost upto Rs 180. Same formula is adopted by rickshaw drivers from Lokmanya Nagar, Vartak Nagar etc.

Prakash Bhatia, a resident of Thane shared his grievance related to overcrowding on X (formerly known as Twitter). He wrote a post saying, "An auto driver told me to get on the 4th seat. When I denied he started abusing and went ahead with his patrons who are promoting this type of mafia. Need action against him as these cases are on rise in Thane station." He tagged Thane City Police and Mumbai Traffic Police informing them that the incident happened at Thane station below TMT bridge. "Many Auto drivers of Sharing auto, from Gaondevi maidan, thane station to vasant vihar, stand in the queue waiting for the 4th seat, even after filling the 3 seats", said a commuter. 

Many such complaints are coming from the citizens on a daily basis. However, it is a collective responsibility of the citizens too to reject such an auto whose driver is telling them to adjust for a fourth seat. Some commuters feel that their time is saved and they can reach their destination early by hiring a share auto. Meanwhile, the auto drivers risk their lives by taking 2 passengers at the front seat. The sitting arrangement becomes too uneasy and more complicated during the traffic phase.