5 YEARS LATER: A review of passenger safety initiative in Dimapur

April 27, 2021 66 Views No Comment

Rebecca K Kits
Dimapur | April 27

On April 26, 2016, the Dimapur Police introduced a new initiative making it mandatory for autorickshaw drivers to display their name and other details in the vehicle.

The move was to “ensure the safety of the autorickshaw passengers,” Dimapur Traffic Police stated in its update in 2016.

The display card was to be issued by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Dimapur and according to an update by the Dimapur Police; the process was to be completed within a month.

It was a much needed step that was welcomed by the citizens who hoped that the system would not only ensure safety, but also keep a check on defaulting auto drivers in the district.

Fast forward to 2021, the system seems to have lost momentum as many autorickshaws are seen without the display cards. Even those with display cards serve little purpose as the cards are old and the details on them are barely legible.

The Morung Express spoke to some passengers to get an insight on the effectiveness of the system and its relevance in the present day.

According to Aka who commutes daily by auto to her workplace, the display card initiative was helpful as it made her “feel safer.” “I travelled with a sense of security knowing that the details of the driver was displayed and I could use it in case things went wrong, although thankfully it never did,” she shared.

However, she also observed that even in the initial days, most auto drivers were not complying with the directive.

According to Jina, an auto driver, though it was made mandatory, the vehicle owner ‘refused’ to avail the display card for his auto. On being asked whether there was any checking or enforcement of the drive, he replied in the affirmative.

However, the auto drivers who did not have display cards would reportedly evade checking by taking alternate routes.

Misuse of system

While there was a noticeable lukewarm approach to the initiative, both from the auto owners and drivers, as per several accounts, some passengers also were involved in misuse of the system.

According to sources there were cases where some passengers would note details given in the display card and make ‘false claims’ of having forgotten their belongings in the auto and demand compensation.

There were also cases of drivers being harassed and receiving threats through details procured from the display cards.

After much hype and applause in the initial stages, the system seems to have stopped, much to the disappointment of passengers.

Avei opined that such a system was helpful not only for passengers but for the auto drivers as well. “Not just in cases of disputes, but for auto drivers involved in accidents or mishaps, details like their blood group, contact number of the owners, etc., would prove helpful.”

He expressed regret that a good initiative could not be carried on.

‘Safety initiatives will continue’

Meanwhile, the Dimapur District Auto Drivers Union (DDADU) President Tito Yepthomi confirmed that the display card was not in practice nowadays. However, he assured that the Union is enforcing other measures to ensure safety of passengers and auto drivers as well.

The Union also has an official page on Facebook where those with grievances and/or suggestions can reach out to them. “The contact details of Union officials have been provided in the Facebook page,” he shared.

Besides that, the Union has also assigned parking lot in-charges for designated areas in the district. Their contact details have also been provided for passengers to have their complaints or queries addressed, Yepthomi shared.

The Dimapur Police PRO informed that the 2016 initiative was ‘experimental’ and is currently not in practice, but assured that it does not imply a ‘full stop’ on safety initiatives.

Similar steps to safeguard the public will continue and will also include consultation with the respective Unions and drivers concerned, he added.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/5-years-later-a-review-of-passenger-safety-initiative-in-dimapur