Pollution check drive in Patna: Many autos, buses keep off roads

PATNA: Several autorickshaws and city buses with higher smoke emission level have gone off the roads to avoid hefty fines and seizure of their vehicles during the ongoing special drive of transport department to ban commercial vehicles more than 15 years old in order to curb air pollution.
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Traffic police officers attributed the move to voluntary removal of polluting vehicles to stringent action being taken by the state government, including cancellation of permit and fitness certificate.
According to transport department figures, altogether 1,390 commercial vehicles have been checked at various places in the city during the last seven days. Out of them, 250 autorickshaws and buses were seized while 608 drivers paid fines for not following air pollution norms.
Transport secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told this newspaper on Monday: “Fitness of vehicles is being checked by mobile pollution checking vans under the supervision of motor vehicle inspector, district transport officer and enforcement sub-inspectors.”
He further said: “Altogether 214 vehicles were checked on Monday and 18 of them were seized and 65 paid fines for violating pollution norms, including not possessing pollution under control certificates (PUCs).”
Some autorickshaws and buses have changed their routes because of the drive. The autorickshaws plying between Patna GPO and Phulwarisharif are taking Mithapur route to avoid being checked near Saptmurti.
Patna Autorickshaw Association’s secretary Ranjit Kumar alleged that autorickshaw drivers were being penalised even for carrying online PUC. “The PUC is being issued by the transport department online, then why they are imposing hefty fines on autorickshaw drivers. This is the main reason that several autorickshaws have gone off the road and some have changed their routes,” he said.
“The association representatives will also meet the transport department officials and share their grievances. If they do not hear our pleas, we will stage a protest,” he said.