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Corporation to reshuffle list of autorickshaw stands

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The New Indian Express                12.04.2013

Corporation to reshuffle list of autorickshaw stands

With autorickshaws parked on the footpath pedestrians are left with
no choice but to walk on the road | | K Rajesh Kumar
With autorickshaws parked on the footpath pedestrians are left with no choice but to walk on the road | | K Rajesh Kumar

In the wake of the recent High Court order on setting up autorickshaw stands after giving due pedestrian space the Kochi Corporation authorities are all set to reshuffle the list of autorickshaw stands in the city.

Earlier, the civic body had decided to regularise the number of autorickshaw stands in the city by joining hands with various departments.

The plan of the Corporation is to limit the number of autorickshaw stands by identifying the spots for the stands, relocating the existing ones and making sure that the stands abided by the norms of the Motor vehicles Department.

Even before the High Court order, the authorities had taken a decision to allow stands only on roads having a width of seven metres.

Through the plan the Corporation aims to make sure that the authorities have a proper control over the autos.

“The proposal to set up new autorickshaw stands and assess the total number of rickshaws running in the city is expected to give a direct control over the vehicles.

Accordingly, we have prepared a list of the autorickshaw stands required in the city,” said Mayor Tony Chammany.

He said that though the civic body is yet to receive the High Court order in this regard, the Corporation would make sure that enough walking space was provided to pedestrians.

As per the High Court order, auto rickshaw stands should be permitted only after leaving a minimum one-and-a-half-metre space for pedestrians. “We have already given instructions to allow auto stands to be set up only on roads which have a minimum width of eight metres,” he said.