The tug-o-war over uniform dress code

Auto drivers ponder to wear or not to ‘wear uniform’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 2  

A standard norm and relatively trivial matter in other cities, the question of a uniform dress code for autorickshaws drivers has time and again proven to be a dicey issue in Dimapur. ‘Wear uniform’ directives issued by the district administration in the past had witnessed outright opposition with some autorickshaw drivers resorting to protests and even to the extent of preventing other drivers, who comply, from plying the roads before the directives eventually got lost into oblivion.  

The latest directive from the district administration also appears to be taking a similar course albeit without the openly hard-line opposition witnessed in the past. Day 1 and 2 of the directive, since it came into force on August 1, did not witness any major commotion.  

While most non-Naga drivers chose to abide by the rule, a majority of Naga drivers across town were observed plying without the standard uniform.  

The Traffic police – the enforcement agency – was queried whether it has booked any defaulters. The reply was in the negative, while maintaining the Traffic police neither received any complaint during the two days nor carried out any enforcement exercise.  

“It is expected that when an order is given it is expected to be followed,” commented a police officer, who was asked how effective the directive has been.  

The nature of the directive itself is open-ended with the district administration either directly or indirectly passing the buck to the public. According to the directive, commuters need not pay fare to any autorickshaw driver without uniform. It further encouraged commuters to inform the Traffic police if drivers are found plying without uniform.  

Asked on the practicality or the logic of such a directive, a district administration official maintained it is in one way aimed to engage the public. However, as per a commuter, interpretation of the directive on the road would only invite quarrel between the passenger and the driver.  

If in the situation the passenger is forced to pay the fare for the service provided by the driver without uniform, the official explained that the passenger can note down the registration number of the autorickshaw and report it to the Traffic police.   The district administration and the police though maintained it will “wait and see” how the directive plays out on the road before a move to enforce the directive could be physically applied.



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