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Monday, July 21, 2008

Daylight robbery by auto rickshaw drivers in Technopark

Day light robbery is happening in Technopark now a days by the auto rickshaw drivers near Technopark especially in kazhakootam and karyavatoom autostand. They always demand for double fare for the technopark trips .and they wouldn't shut up till they get what they want. it seems there is nobody to control them. many complaints were registered in the kazhakkotam police station by the technopark employees, but still there is no change in the auto drivers attitude.

People who are financially sound have their own vehicles and they are unaware of what the kazhakoottam autorickshaw drivers are demanding from a passenger for a single trip from kazhakootam to technopark.

It’s barely 2 kms from kazhakootam to technopark (bhavani). For a normal trip they can charge only a max of Rs.20/- for 2 kms. But here in kazhakootam the story is entirely different. They are charging a min of Rs.30/- and a max of Rs.60/-. This is intolerable as far as a normal person is concerned.

Things will become more worse when the female employees are traveling in auto.If they find that the passenger is a girl then they start demanding for more money. And if the girl is not ready to pay the amount, then God only knows what all Malayalam bad words she is going to hear from that person for that moment.

Because of the Technopark, the auto ppl getting more and frequent trips, literally hundrads of technoparkians are commuting daily in this manner. female employees and north indian ppl are the main preys of this rude auto drivers. Only Technopark authorities and Kazhakkootam police joinlty can do something to stop it, a better solution is to provide a pay in advance ( fixed fare ) auto stand, then only we can put an end for this daylight robbery.

UPDATE : Thanks for the overwhelming response from the readers and valuable comments. many of them suggested various ways to prevent this robbery. like if any auto driver demand more money and quarrel with you, just give money and note down the registration number. and you can file a complaint to the kazhakootam police station, and online as well. here is the web link of trivandrum city police : http://www.tvmcitypolice.org/home.jsp. or register your complaint at 0471-2469223-RTO Trivandrum. Also make others aware about it. please pass this information to all of your friends in technopark.

Related News : Rape attempt on Software Engineer by an auto driver

It happened a few months back, A software engineer escaped a rape attempt by an Auto driver last week in Trivandrum. The techie who missed her morning company bus had taken an auto for Technopark from her hostel in the city. She was taken to a secluded place and an attempt was made to rape and when that failed, to rob her by the Auto driver and his friend who joined them en route.

The employee of the leading Software Company in Technopark realized that the auto driver was taking her elsewhere. “When asked, he said it’s a different route as there was some deviation on the main road. Later he stopped in some weird location and tried to pull my dress and attacked me. When I jumped out, he pulled my chain… it broke but luckily fell in my hand and then I ran. Somehow I got back home. I couldn’t have gone to office in those torn clothes”, says this girl who’s lucky to have got away with just bruises on her face, neck and hands.

This Techie from Chennai who has been in Trivandrum for a year has no clue about the place nor could she write down the vehicle number. The senior management has taken it up with the City Police Commissioner but it’s going to be difficult task to nab the culprits in the absence of details.

Most companies in Technopark ply a single bus trip to office in the morning, unlike other cities where there are multiple trips. If one misses the bus, its difficult reaching office as local bus connectivity is poor. “We have no option but to pay up the exorbitant rates demanded by auto drivers. Not to say the risk we take by getting into an Auto”, says Gopika* who works in Infosys. The auto drivers ask for a fare in excess of double meter reading for a trip to Technopark.

There have been similar incidents of harassment and molestation of Software Engineers by Auto drivers in Trivandrum in the recent past. This brings up the safety issue of Technopark employees. Meanwhile, this Techie who had joined this company as a fresher has put in her papers as she’s had enough of Trivandrum.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is very true and its the girls who suffer the most.I have even seen auto drivers quarelling for more money right in front of technopark securities.Can't they do anything to help us?Or are they too a part of this mafia.

Anonymous said...

this is very true, today morning only i encountered the same situation. always they will ask for double fare and they ask for 3 times or more if its monday or friday ( because many people will go home during those days )

the auto drivers behavior towards girls is intolerable in all the sense. they call vulgar even if you pay what they ask.

this is the very high time to put and end for this.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot technoparklive for bringing this issue forward.If the ride is to technopark then you will never find an auto driver turning on the meter.Why dont they understand that there are normal middle class people also working in technopark?IT job is not a rich man's profession.There are many families relying on their child's income for supporting the family.Its really sad that the auto drivers are not at all bothered about this.

Anonymous said...

i am a victim of "the sweet words" from the mouths of the auto drivers...although i have my own vehicle, i sometimes have to take auto to come to technopark..when i am not ready to give the amount that they demand,i always have a bad experience fighting like a local girl infront of the techies and securities..i am scared, when these auto union people will come and kill me for my arrogance for them.

Anonymous said...

This is a true incident.One day a friend of mine came to visit me in my hostel near the back gate of technopark.She had taken the auto front Karyavattom Campus.On reaching the hostel he demanded for 35 rupees, the normal charge being Rs 15/- max.She had a fight with him.At last when she said that she is not a techie,he immediately reduced the amount to Rs 20/-.Wat more do you need as a proof against their robbery?

Anonymous said...

this is a big issue we thought of to conveyed to the technopark authorities, because we are not united and nobody has not known how to register a complaint we kept mum during all these time.

thank you technoparklive for publishing this article. this is an issue of girls. boys can fight and bargain with auto drivers.but for girls they will be forced to pay whatever the auto drivers are demanding.

Anonymous said...

autodrivers in kazhakootam and karyavattom are very rude. they usually call bad words if we refused to give the amount

Anonymous said...

The problem is nobody is resisting them especially the girls. let's forward this to every employee in technopark. if we united and refused to pay any such fares they will stop demanding it.

vishaka said...

This issue has not only been occurring in the Technopark area, but almost all of Trivandrum, especially if you have to go about half km, from the main road into housing colonies or such, leave alone going outskirts of the city.

scorpiogenius said...

contacting the media about this especially if they resort to verbal abuse towards the ladies. These autowallas area a pain in the a** all through the state and its not unique to Trivandrum or Technopark.

Anonymous said...

I would suggest to silently note down the number of such auto rickshaws and post it here. It is ok even if posted anonymously. Let us get united for this. We will give a mass petition against this robbery.

Anonymous said...

do u think by just posting it in blogs would help.. lol

Anonymous said...

why can't? blogs are the efficient media to reach out the people very easily. blogs are the only media which can publish the untold stories by the conventional medias like newspapers and channels ( they can be influenced easily by the means of politics and money ). But the individual bloggers cannot.so spread out the news and make aware as much as people as we can.lets fight against such injustice through this effective media called BLOGS

Anonymous said...

keep a pepper spray with you, if somebody behave badly. apply it. :)

Anonymous said...

iOk guys now lets do something practical. Lets fix a prize from kazhakootam jn to technopark. and let us decide we will pay only that much. If they ask for more let us get the fellow people nearby you when you are paying and protest.
Just think there must be at max 50 autorickshaw valaas. How many employees are there in technopark. Morethan 10000. If 10000 cannot do something to put a stop at 50 people's loot, then I think we are no good. let us be together.
There would be problems at the beginning. But things will come our way.

As Gandhiji told, first they will laugh at you, then they will resist but the win will be ours

I would say Rs 20 would be a good deal for both parties from kazhakootam jn to technopark.
Also Rs 30 would be good from police station to technopark.

What you guys say? Remember we have to act here.

Anonymous said...

Very valid suggestion. and we need to spread this news to all employees in technopark. please forward this thread to all technoparkians known by you.

Yes we are lacking of unity, so others are taking advantage because of that.

We need also check with experts, like how we can move legally.

Biju said...

Dont blame the whole auto driver community for the misbehaviour of a few..i agree there are a few..as in any field.Peole must have a fare idea about the minimum fares..i think from kazhakootam to Main gate or gayathri,Rs 15 to 20 is reasonable.For tejaswini and bhavani..it can be max 25 or 30 ..i think...i am not sure..so if they ask for more, just refuse and if they misbehave just pay the money and note down the Reg no.I think the police is pretty strict at these matters...a mass movement will surely awaken the police..

you can use the tvm city plice site also..
http://www.tvmcitypolice.org/home.jsp

Biju said...

chk this post..intersesting one..

http://jocalling.blogspot.com/2008/05/auto-drivers-in-trivandrum.html

Anonymous said...

hope this matter will be taken into the sight of the city police and a solution will be taken.its of no use if we only blabber something and leave the matter away...

Technopark Live said...

technoparkLive! forwarded this blog post in to the top officials of the trivandrum city police as well as to the Technopark authorities.

Hope that they will take necessary actions soon.

Also please keep update your traveling experience here, so that we can watch out the change in their attitude.

Anonymous said...

So much for our enthusiasm.
Not even one incident or auto number has been posted about similar incident.
I now understand why these people are taking advantage of us.

nishanth nair said...

You can also give a call on this number and register your complaint
04712469223-RTO Trivandrum

Anonymous said...

I dont think there would be much change in attitude by filing complaint at local police station as these Auto drivers often work as binamis for corrupt Police officers in the region. Most of the vehicles running as Autos would be owned by policemen or their relatives and these cuprits have their backing. What should be done is to raise public awareness and complaint to higher autorities and even to the miniters themselves. Technopark authorities should seriously consider setting up prepaid travel from Inside the park which can be booked online or via mobile so that we can have a safer means of travel. Also women should make sure they do not travel alone after sunset. Even though Kerala is a safer place, its getting dirty as years passby We can find a lot of North Indian young girls travelling alone at nite. This attacts culprits more.

Anonymous said...

Exactly...this is happening at kazhakootam. We should have raised our voice before itself to protest against this robbery.Two to three times I had these types of experiences from auto ppl.Once I was fighting with an auto man about charge.At that time he told "U ppl are the reason for this.Some ppl will give 30 Rs and go with out saying anything .So when next person comes we will ask for the same amount.Prob will start from here." This is exactly true...

Anonymous said...

hi

I am from trivandrum , but have the chance of visting few campuses in a situation similar to technopark. Wg : the energy research institute, some of the IIMs, some capmuses which are not very close to public transport. Some of the places had dedicated shuttle services from campus to the nearest bus stops, city centres etc at regular intervals say 30-45 mins. So if the companies/employees can organize a mini van to ply at half hour intervels from technopark gates to kazhakkottam or karyavattom, to an extend the issue can be solved. I gues it wouldnt cost a fortune to miantain a mini van if all companies contribute.

Anonymous said...

Yes, instead of discussing this matter only at the blog, lets try to do something to stop this loot by these auto drivers...i have never seen any auto driver putting the auto meter on at kazhakootam or inside around technopark... when we fight and threten them that we will do a police complaint, they are least bothered about it and say " why dont you take the engine number as well, as the registeration number might not be sufficient for filing a complaint with local police"...
We have to stop this practise and provide them with the amount as shown in a meter...

Anonymous said...

complaining to the police or to the ministers would make the least impact on these issues. how many effective ministers (both LDF and UDF) do we hav in our assembly who really work for the people? i feel the solution provided by shehnas is a good one... also these are HR issues and needs to be highlighted the respective HR. IT industry being people intensive the HR will have to act. solutions need to be found and be practised ourselves rather than depend on the Police or the politicians. as of now is there any system in place to know the status of complaints registered with the police?
can anybody help on this?

Unknown said...

Can all the buildings in techno park show a display board which tells the Actual fare from Kazhakoottam and Karyavattom to this place. This can avoid many problems in the future.
So techno park authorities can control the behavior of auto rickshaw drivers.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I didn't find this site http://www.tvmcitypolice.org/home.jsp to register the complaint
Please help me.

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