However, while dealing with the petition, the Court came across the fact that many auto-rickshaws plying in Kochi and other cities in Ernakulam district do not follow traffic rules.
“They adopt the rule of convenience and not the rules by stopping at their convenience for picking up the passengers midway of the journey and beyond the capacity granted in the permit which results into risk of accident. Not only this, even the transport vehicles like passenger private transport buses plied in the City of Cochin/Ernakulam also perpetually uses the horns in overtaking and while plying on the road. Most of the vehicles are overtaking each other or the other private vehicles risking the life of the passengers on the road and other passengers travelling in other vehicles,” the Court noted in its judgment.
Moreover, it also observed that some of the buses looked very old which could be a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act which does not permit such vehicles to be run beyond 15 years. Even though there may be cases where fitness certificates are being issued by the Regional Transport Authority, the court opined that there must be restrictions on the same.
“There has to be a time-line as to till what time the fitness certificate can be issued. In other words, whether it can be permitted beyond 15 years by relaxation or granting exemptions,” the Court said.
Source: Barandbench
