Traffic congestion, unregulated auto fares pose challenge for commuters in Vellore

In the words of an auto driver, Satish, Vellore is a small town with four major roads that lead to Katpadi, Tiruvannamalai, Chennai and Bangalore. “The roads stretch for roughly six kilometres each and the whole town falls between these roads.”

The size of the town matters to Satish as it witnesses the functioning of more than 8,000 auto rickshaws while another 3,000 ply in the suburbs.

The manner in which autos dominate the public transport is visible especially at Katpadi railway station. For those on their first visit to the town via train, an auto ride to Christian Medical College and Hospital can cost them about Rs 300. While for those familiar with the place, the same ride in a share auto can cost them between Rs 10 and Rs 20.

Again, it’s outside CMC Hospital that people face another problem caused by the vehicles – Arcot Road which leads to the gates of the hospital is always choc-a-block with autos. A member from an auto driver’s association said, “The footpath adjacent to the gates has four auto stands, including separate ones for petrol and diesel autos.”

On being asked the reason for the separate arrangements, the auto driver said, “Patients who prefer a quiet ride prefer autos that run on petrol as they do not vibrate too much, but carry fewer passengers at a go when compared to diesel autos.” Such is monopoly that auto drivers enjoy in the areas that commuters face almost constant traffic snarls 100 metres away from the hospital’s exit gate with drivers trying to vying for passengers after parking their vehicles haphazardly and affecting traffic.

Even though the authorities put up barricades as road dividers in front of CMC Hospital after repeated complaints from the public and had a couple of officers directing traffic, the initiative did not continue for long and was given up a few months ago. This happened despite the Vellore south police station being located 300 metres away from the hospital.

Residents of the area and commuters also complain that the area faces such congestion also because the collector and SP never use Arcot Road to reach their office and use the service road adjacent to the Chennai – Bangalore national highway instead. Their movement would have prompted the police to regulate traffic better in the area, claim the residents. A few patients that DT Next spoke to also claimed that they were scared of crossing the road by themselves.

A resident, 72-year-old Shantilal, said, “Till about a few years ago, Arcot Road boasted of two-way traffic, but gradually as the chaos created by autos increased, the route was turned into a one-way. Vehicles can move from the old bus stand to Sathuvachari via this route, but cannot return the same way. Vehicles cannot cross the hospital’s jubilee gate after it was turnedone-way.”

“Autos are allowed with patients into CMC hospital where security staff allow them only to drop off passengers. They have to leave immediately after,” added Shantilal.

Meanwhile, two years ago auto drivers also prevented the app-based aggregator Ola from introducing their auto rides in the area fearing stiff competition. Speaking about the move, Satish said, “Ola autos would have cut into our earning so we had to oppose it. As it we have to earn a living within the confines of this small town.”

Other auto drivers who spoke to this reporter on the condition of anonymity said, “Most share autos run on diesel vehicles which is a must if a driver is to break even daily. Thus the charges from the old and new bus stands to Valalar stop in Sathuvachari is only Rs10 per person for four kilometres while it costs Rs5 more to reach Rangapuram and Alamelu Rangapuram on the same road.

Similarly, the fare to travel 10 kilomteres from the old bus stand to the Adukamparai government medical college hospital and Sripuram further on is it is Rs 20 per head. It takes Rs 20 to travel from the old bus stand to Katpadi (10 kilometres) and between Rs 15 and Rs 20 for the same destination from the new bus stand. “There is a difference in rates as due autos returning to new bus stand can easily get customers because buses that head out of town start off from here while only town buses ply from the old bus stand,” said Satish.

In a sign of relief, however, came when prepaid auto booking was licked off at Katpadi railway station a year ago. But, this too faced glitches with the service being forced to stop thrice due to auto drivers following pre-paid and those on postpaid method coming to blows over commuters as the latter was not permitted to enter the station.

Once the skirmishes were evened out, passengers now have to pay a nominal fare if they opt for the pre-paid method. What once used to cost Rs 300 for a 20-kilometre trip from the station to the Sripuram golden temple is now cheaper by Rs 100 said a frequent visitor who did not want to be named.

Meanwhile, K Saravanan, the INTUC auto drivers’ association treasurer, said, “Our intention is not to fleece passengers but only to ensure that we are able to make ends meet.”

Vellore RTO N Ramakrishnan said that while the area under his control boasts of 11,100 autos, Vellore town alone has more than 8,000 autos. When asked about complaints of autos plying with duplicate registration number and without permits, he said that it was not possible as rival drivers themselves would bring non-permit vehicles to their notice. “Similarly, even though there are talk about more than one auto using the same registration number, no such vehicle has been caught by the police yet.”

But, some drivers did acknowledge that there might be cases of colleagues operating without auto driver badges and license, “but they are few and far between,” said one.