REGULARISATION PLAN WELCOMED Checks & balances for Siliguri autos & totos

TT, 25 June 2019, Siliguri: The state's plan to regularise movement of e-rickshaws (totos) and replace autos with four-wheelers to check congestion and pollution in Siliguri has been welcomed by owners and drivers.

They have however, demanded that the state should take "systematic measures" and identify roads for movement for totos in the city so that they do not face any sudden economic crisis.

"We are ready to abide by the rules and follow instructions of the administration. But we want to appeal to the state that some systematic measures should be taken so that the toto owners and drivers can earn their living," said Sagar Mohanta, president of the Siliguri City Toto Drivers' Welfare Association.

"Many owners have bought the e-rickshaws by taking loans and have to pay a good amount instalment. Also, most of us are dependent on the earnings we make from these vehicles. Now if A toto on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri. File picture suddenly a ban is imposed, it would affect our earnings," Mohanta added.

From last week, the traffic wing of Siliguri Metropolitan Police has initiated a drive to stop totos which do not have TINs (Temporary Identification Numbers) issued by the local civic body, from plying in principal roads of the town.

In Siliguri, there are 3,400 totos which have TINS while there are another 30,000 others which roam in and around the city and do not have the numbers.

"Our vehicles do not cause any pollution and is a common mode of public transport in Siliguri. If we are stopped to run on main roads for congestion, the state should also take steps to stop the city autos from plying which cause pollution," said Munmun Sarkar a toto owner.

The toto owners and drivers will line up a rally in the city on Tuesday to highlight their demands. They will then march to the motor vehicles department and will submit a memorandum, said sources.

The demands came a day ahead of the proposed meeting of state ministers Gautam Deb and Suvendu Adhikari. On Tuesday, they are supposed to hold a meeting in Calcutta to discuss the traffic congestion issue of Siliguri. Nirmal Sarkar, secretary of City Auto Operators Welfare Association, said: "We are ready to replace our vehicles but the state should see that we get loans from banks to buy the new vehicles"Specific plans should be made to ensure that there is no congestion in the arterial roads," said Pradip Chakraborty, a retired railway employee.