GIRIDAS Vs. REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) AS noticed by the Division Bench in Ext.P4,, the entire controversy arose because a vehicle manufacturer came out with a new breed of vehicles called the "Motor cab (Taxi)", so categorized by the Transport Authorities; plying and parking of which is objected to tooth and nail, by the operators of three wheel carriages commonly termed as 'autorikshaws'. There is no dispute that the vehicle now brought out running on four wheels would be a safer option for the public and the Transport Authorities, noticing this fact, has granted State wide permits to the said vehicles.

(2.) THE prayer sought for in the above writ petition is for a direction that respondents 5 and 6, who are carrying on operation of "Motor cab (Taxi)", should not be allowed to park their vehicle in the parking place allotted to the petitioners, who are autorikshaw drivers. The specific prohibition is sought for in the stand notified near "RKM UPS, Muthana" coming within Thiruvananthapuram district. The petitioner contends that the said stand is specifically intended for the autorikshaws and that a vehicle of another description cannot be permitted to be parked therein. The petitioners also rely on Ext.P4 judgment of a Division Bench of this Court which, according to the petitioners, as a general rule, directed parking of Motor Cab (Taxi) and autorikshaws in different places.

(3.) IT is common knowledge that the State has acute problems of traffic congestion and many a time writ petitions have been filed before this Court for ascertainment of proper places by the local bodies so as to specify parking places by the Regional Transport Authorities and the Traffic Advisory Committees constituted under the Panchayat Raj Act.