‘Remove LED Ad Boards’- RTO warns Auto-rickshaw Drivers
Mangaluru: You might have seen a bunch of auto-rickshaws running around in the city with LED advertisement board fitted on the rear side of the vehicle- and just two days ago when I got into an auto from Kankanady Railway Station, it had one too. But, Senior RTO and Deputy Transport Commissioner in-charge, GS Hegde is not happy with nearly 100 plus auto-rickshaws in town displaying LED advertisement on the rear side of the vehicle.
Since these ad boards are illegal as per The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1999 and Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules which do not permit auto-rickshaws to sport such LED advertisement boards, the RTO has immediately ordered all these LED ad boards be removed, or face consequences.
As per RTO these LED boards are a danger to road safety and a distraction to other vehicle users, and also these ad boards block the rear view, since the vehicles are supposed to have transparent windows that offer transparency and safety of the passengers. The RTO has also said that he will direct motor vehicle inspectors to check on these auto-rickshaws who display these sigh boards, and action will be taken on those ignoring the RTO orders.
According to Ramesh, a auto driver who has his vehicle fitted with the LED advt board speaking to Team Mangalorean said, ” All the fitting and alteration work of the LED ad board is done by a agency. Even a small GPC device has been fitted, which helps the agency track the distance covered by us and the routes taken by us. We have been promised of Rs 1300 -1500 per month for displaying the LED ad board. I haven’t received my first monthly payment yet, since I had fixed the board recently.”. When asked whether he knew about the RTO’s decision to ban these LED ad boards, he wasn’t even aware of it, and the agency who installed it had not mentioned anything about it either.
Yet another auto-driver, Maurice speaking to Team Mangalorean said, ” The RTO wants to punish us poor people for displaying LED ad boards, but it’s okay with them to permit huge LED advt boards, like the one near Hampankatta circle ( above Canara Jewellers), which is too bright and flashy, and very much distracted to motorists, than the one displayed on our auto-rickshaws.” I fully agreed with Maurice, because this huge LED ad board at Hampankatta circle is quite distracting and indeed a safety hazard for motorists.
It is also learnt that the RTA in an earlier instance had denied permission to auto-rickshaws owners who had approached his department to install such LED boards sponsored by a bank that had given vehicle loan to these auto drivers. “But since such LED boards will certainly distract other road users and lead to more accidents, and also such display of advertisement boards are illegal, we have no other option but to crack down on such errant vehicles” has said RTO.