Travel woes loom in auto whip

The daily dash to station could turn into a sweaty bus ride because the ubiquitous autos might turn elusive.

Transport authorities have decided to scrap or banish all autorickshaws applying for a transfer of permit. If the rule is enforced strictly, it could push 25 per cent of the three-wheelers — around 20,000 of them — off the roads.

The problem goes back to 1997, when issuing new permits for such vehicles were stopped in Mumbai and Thane. To get around the block, the commercial permits of old autos were transferred to the new ones but they were only authorised to run as “private” vehicles.

But the autos were anything but “private” as they ferried passengers across the city and the government lost revenue. “Commercial” permits require higher payments.

“The old autos continue to ply as transport vehicles without valid permits. We recently acted against 983 such autos in Thane,” said district transport officer L.P. Khade.

His colleagues claimed 25 per cent of these vehicles in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane were unauthorised.

Runway perils swept away

Fliers can hope for an end to touchdown troubles at Delhi airport.

A state-of-the-art de-rubberising equipment will soon be installed to clear the rubber pieces from overheated plane tyres on the runway, ensuring that the chunks do not pose a problem to aircrafts while landing.

“We have acquired a state-of-the-art de-rubberising equipment, called Trackjet, to clean up rubber deposits that stick to the runway when an aircraft lands,” said an official of Delhi Airport International Airport Limited, the private consortium that is in charge of the airport’s revamp.

Trackjet uses high-pressure water jets to remove the rubber leftovers at a faster pace without damaging the runway.

The chunks falling off tyres over a period of time tend to reduce the grip required for landing. Sometimes, it could lead to skidding.

Landmark turns 75

A landmark that has held on to its old-world charm even after Madras became Chennai marked its 75th birthday recently.

Vasanta Vihar, in the southern suburb of Adyar, might not be on the itinerary of all tourists but the place has a long local association as it was home to educationist and thinker Jiddu Krishnamurti until his death in 1986.

Vasanta Vihar is the headquarters of the Krishnamurti Foundation India, known for its network of KFI schools.

At the anniversary celebrations last month, the foundation decided to spread his message wider by promising to donate Krishnamurti’s books in English and Indian languages to libraries across India and in the neighbouring countries. Newsletters will be sent to keep followers informed about the foundation’s activities. Braille versions of Krishnamurti’s publications and speeches are also planned.

Krishnamurti set up the foundation in 1928 after walking out of the Theosophical Society, which sought to project him as a “godman”.

Blackout relief

Consumers can look forward to 24X7 power supply, if local snags are causing the interruptions.

Automatic “fault-location vans” will be introduced across the city to fix these problems and ensure continuous power supply.

State power minister A.K. Walia, inaugurating the first such van last week, said the vehicles would help reduce substantially the time taken to attend to complaints of blackouts.

New Delhi Power Limited, one of the capital’s private power suppliers, was the first to get off the block with the service.

Delhi: This Wednesday, don’t miss this hide-and-seek. Written by C.P. Deshpande and directed by Chetan Dattar, Aankh Michauli is a kaleidoscope of emotions. The play will be staged at Raman Sabhagar, Indraprastha Engineering College, Sahibabad, on Flyover Road in Surya Nagar. Time: 6.30pm.