In another example of the youth turning to social networking websites as a tool to create awareness, a young Mumbaikar has started a unique initiative on Facebook against taxi and autorickshaw drivers who refuse fares.
Saransh Mohite, a freelance photographer living in Cotton Green, has started a public Facebook page, called “Cabs and Rickshaw driver ki adalat”. Here, he encourages people who complain to the RTO helpline against fare-refusing taxi and auto drivers, to keep a record of their complaints on the page and at the end of every month, he plans to approach the RTO with all the complaints and ask what action has been taken against them.
“The initiative springs out of something that I saw around two months ago. An old man was trying to hail a taxi in south Mumbai. He was very frail and finding it difficult to walk, and I heard him literally pleading with a taxi driver to drop him, but the taxi driver refused him and drove off,” said Mr Mohite.
He added that he has had his own share of bad experiences with taxi and auto drivers, and approaching the nearest policeman to complaint against a fare-refusing driver is something of a habit for him.
The Maharashtra transport department has a toll-free helpline where people can complain against errant taxi and auto drivers at any time.
“I’m encouraging people to enter the details of their complaint on my page as well, so that there is a record. My friends and I will then keep a track of what action, if any, has been taken against these drivers,” Mr Mohite said.