‘4,000 autorickshaws off roads in Nilgiris District`

Udhagamandalam: About 4,000 autorickshaws remained off roads in Nilgiris District, demanding immediate implementation of a recent order permitting them to ply their vehicles over 20 km against the present limit of seven km.

The autorickshaws, hitherto restricted to ply in and around seven km of the town here, Gudalur and Kothagiri, were permitted to run 20 km from the beginning of this month, resulting in unrest among maxi-cabs and tourist taxis. Fearing attacks from taxi owners and drivers, for taking tourists by running the new distance,autorickshaws drivers and owners had demanded that the administraton intervene and strictly implement the order, police said. Over 1,500 taxies and maxi cab drivers had lodged a protest a week ago against the recent order,claiming it would badly affect their business. Autorickshaw drivers and owners later took out a procession through the main streets here and submitted a memorandum to the Collector, to allow them to ply more than 20 km, police said. PTI