DHARWAD: Traffic police in collaboration with the RTO launched a drive to check the installation of fare meters in autorickshaws in the twin cities on Friday.Traffic police inspector Murugesh Channanavar and senior motor vehicle inspector in the RTO Vinayak Nayak along with staff checked autorickshaws near CBT, Regal Circle, Vivekanand Circle, Jubilee Circle and other important junctions.Police booked cases against 26 autorickshaws for violation of rules. Channanavar told TOI that the drive will continue on Saturday too.Police and RTO have made it compulsory for autorickshaw operators in the twin- cities to fix auto fare meters and accept the fare as fixed by the administration from January 2.Though autorickshaw operators have agreed in principle to follow the rule, they are yet to bring it into practice. It has been found that only 40 per cent of autorickshaws in Dharwad have calibrated their fare meters while the remaining are running without fare meters.In Hubballi, the situation is more pathetic as not even five per cent of the rickshaws have installed the calibrated meters. Police said only one person was recalibrating the meters in Dharwad and Hubballi has two. Due to paucity of personnel, there is a delay in autorickshaws installing meters, they said.“Apart from forcing autorickshaw operators to follow rules, it is important to create awareness among people hiring rickshaws about the new rule,” said a police officer.DCP (Trafic and Crime) Babasaheb Nemagouda led the drive against the auto rickshaws in Hubballi.Revised auto faresMinimum fare for the first 1.6 km has been enhanced from Rs 23 to 28. For each additional km, the fare is increased to Rs 15 from Rs 13. There has been no change in the waiting period which was nil for the first 15 minutes and Rs 5 for the next 15 minutes or part thereof.

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