The Kerala government has decided to withdraw its plan to make ‘free ride if meter isn’t running’ stickers mandatory on auto-rickshaws. The decision came after Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar held discussions with auto-rickshaw union leaders, who raised concerns about the practical difficulties of enforcing the rule. Initially, the Motor Vehicle Department had made the sticker a requirement for issuing fitness certificates to auto-rickshaws, but after hearing the unions’ objections, the government reversed the decision. As a result, auto-rickshaw workers have called off their planned strike, which was scheduled for March 18.
The sticker, which was supposed to be implemented from March 1, was aimed at preventing overcharging and ensuring that all auto-rickshaws operated with functional meters. However, many drivers did not comply with the rule, and union leaders opposed the move, stating that their vehicles were already running with meters and that the mandatory sticker was unnecessary. The unions firmly resisted the requirement, arguing that they should not be forced to display a message they deemed redundant.
The Transport Department had introduced the sticker in response to frequent complaints from passengers about drivers overcharging when meters were turned off. The initiative was meant to protect consumers, but after negotiations with the union, the government decided to retract the order. With this decision, the ongoing conflict between auto-rickshaw drivers and the authorities over meter enforcement has been temporarily resolved.
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