Monday blues worsen as 3-wheeler drivers refuse shared service
LUCKNOW: People commuting via three-wheelers had a hard time on Monday, as drivers at several major crossings refused to ply unless the passenger agreed to reserve the vehicle. At Aliganj, Mahanagar, Channilal, Charbagh, Alambagh and other crossings, three-wheeler drivers refused to provide shared service, although it meant they had to wait longer for passengers.
“The drivers refused to ply unless all four seats were reserved. There is nothing to identify whether a three-wheeler is shared or not. So, drivers arbitrarily insist on going reserved, at times,” said Rakesh, a resident of Kapoorthala.
As a result, passengers had to shell out five to six times the amount they would normally pay for their ride. For instance, commuting from Purania to Mahanagar costs ₹10 via shared service, but the same distance would cost at least ₹50 if a three-wheeler was to be reserved.
Pankaj Dixit, president of the Lucknow association of autorickshaws and three-wheelers (LARTS), said that he got a complaint from a passenger in Kapoorthala. “We tried to trace the three-wheeler but failed as it had moved on,” he said.
Some commuters even got into quarrels with drivers, but that did not help matters. They were forced to either reserve threewheelers or wait for suitable buses or book cabs.
Dixit said the proposal to establish LARTS offices at prominent crossings of the city was pending with the district authorities. “Once that is done, such issues can be dealt with in minutes. If we get a few places where our volunteers can sit, then on receiving complaints on the helpline, we can quickly send them to the locations concerned,” he said.