Kochi: Transport authorities in Kerala have launched a crackdown on auto rickshaws operating without MVD issue stickers and fare meters despite an ultimatum issued to them.
The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) had issued orders that passengers will not pay fare to auto rickshaw operators if there are no meters in their vehicles.
The MVD had also directed auto rickshaw operators to display stickers with the caption passengers can travel free If the fare meter is not working.
Many auto rickshaws have failed the fitness test for not displaying sticker in local language and English.
The order, which came into effect on March 1, mandates that the sticker be displayed prominently behind the driver’s seat.
The move has sparked widespread protests among auto drivers and unions, with various organisations threatening to intensify their strike against the enforcement.
Auto Rickshaws in most towns in the state operate without meters. Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode are the cities where autorickshaws charge passengers on the basis of fare price meters.
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