The 'Auto', A Trademark Of Indian Cities

By M.Santhiran NEW DELHI, April 7 (Bernama) -- They weave through the traffic clogged roads of New Delhi with ease, often flouting the traffic regulations. They serve as the most affordable and ubiquitous transport mode of India. Ladies and gentlemen, they are the auto rickshaws or popularly known as "auto" in the local lingo and the most popular transport mode throughout India. The yellow and green coloured three-wheelers powered by diesel engines are in fact the trademark of Indian cities. They are extremely popular among housewives, since most women here don't drive, and school children. The three-wheelers that can accommodate up to three passengers provide a great relief for commuters in the traffic choked roads of New Delhi and Mumbai. AUTOS ADD TO THE UNIQUE ROAD CULTURE The auto drivers, like the other motorists, will be blaring their horns nonstop, adding to the cacophony on the road that Indians are familiar with. Though the auto with its open air cabin may not be the choice for those who shun noise and air pollution, they are still convenient and relatively cheap compared with urban train and bus services here. For me on Sundays, auto is my first transport choice since my driver takes his break on the day. First few trips were difficult since I could hardly speak in Hindi. Unlike in Mumbai, the drivers here hardly could speak English. So in getting on the autos I picked up a few words, dhai modiyeh (turn right), bhai modiyeh (turn left) and seedah jahiyeh (go straight). The word bhaiya (brother) comes in handy when negotiating the fare and directing the drivers. The best option would be writing down the address of your destination in a paper or refer to the landmarks. After being here for more than two months now, I can strike simple conversations in Hindi whenever taking an auto. I see the auto drivers as among those who could help me brush up my Hindi. HOW TO BECOME AN AUTO DRIVER During my conversations with the drivers I learnt what it takes to be in the 'auto' trade. First, it costs between three to four lakhs (about US$5,497 to US$6,871) to get a new auto, not to mention the numerous formalities that the owner/driver has to seek from the relevant agencies. Those with criminal records are not allowed to own any commercial vehicles and enforcement agencies have imposed more stringent conditions in the wake of some high profile rape cases involving commercial vehicle drivers here in Delhi. According to the drivers, their daily routine starts around 6am and ends around 8-9 pm. They do take a break one to two hours in between. Minus maintenance, they earn around 1,500 to 2,000 rupees in a good day. Weather and traffic condition also determine their income. Normally drivers prefer to operate within 20km radius from their base. Though most autos in Delhi are equipped with digital metres for the fare, haggling over the fare is a norm here. If one is a first timer at any city in India, it's always advisable to get some tips from friends or hotel staff on how to handle the auto drivers. Generally its safe to use the auto service, but as a precaution always travel in a group of two or three. AUTO IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO SEEK COMFORT Traveling in auto is not like traveling in a cab or a bus. It's always a bumpy ride, no thanks to the potholes that are common on Indian roads. During rainy seasons, get ready to be drenched as the Indian autos only have open air cabins. Meanwhile in the summer, the humid and dusty environment could make the ride very uncomfortable while in winter the commuters suffer from chill. As auto commuters are exposed to the elements, it is a big "no" for pregnant ladies and those with other health complications especially the elderly people and heart patients. Hygiene is also an issue, with some autos are poorly maintained. Its always better to carry some small change whenever one travels on auto. In my case, sometimes I end up paying more when I don't have the exact change. If one seeks comfort and not worried much on the fare, the better option will be taxis. In major cities like Mumbai and New Delhi, taxis are reliable where you can book online by just downloading the right apps into your smartphones. One should also avoid autos at night since most of them do not have working headlights or signals. Even I had a number of close shaves with the autos that are hardly visible at night. In India the autos and their drivers are a force to be reckoned with. Local political parties heavily rely on these drivers for support. -- BERNAMA