Mangaluru: Superintendent of Police, Laxman B. Nimbargi, said on Friday that stern action would be taken against those autorickshaw drivers who were flouting rules. He was speaking at the one-hour phone-in programme held at the District Police Office, here. A total of 20 calls were received during the phone-in programme.

While some persons complained that autorickshaw drivers were not using flag meters, others said that 95 % of autorichshaw drivers in the city were following the rules and that it was only the remaining 5 % who were a problem.

A caller also said that there were autorickshaw stands at small distances from Kinnimulki to City Bus Stand in Udupi and wanted to know if the Regional Transport Authority had allowed so many autorickshaw stands. Another caller said that some autorickshaw drivers were not wearing uniforms. A third caller said that the autorickshaw drivers in Siddapura did not have licenses or badges, Mr. Nimbargi assured to look into these matters.

Another caller said that some persons were riding two-wheelers with lot of noise during nights in Saralebettu-Eshwarnagar areas in the city and some bus were stopping in front of the Emergency and Trauma Block of Kasturba Hospital in Manipal leading to blockage of traffic on the road. Mr. Nimbargi said that action would be taken in the matter.

A caller from Udupi pointed out that pedestrians were finding it difficult to cross the road at the Hanuman Circle and Court Road and demanded proper zebra crossings in the city. Mr. Nimbargi directed the Traffic Police to look into this issue.

A caller said that many big trucks carrying stones were moving on the Major District Road with small bridges on the Brahmavar-Jannady route. The bridges could not bear the heavy weight and their movement would weaken the bridges, he said. Mr. Nimbargi said that the trucks might be doing so to dodge the Toll Plaza at Sasthan. He directed the police to intensify patrolling on the route.

Another caller said that trucks were carrying stones without proper safety precautions in the Kota police station limits. Mr. Nimbargi said that action would be taken against such trucks.