Police in the state capital have planned to crack the whip on unruly autorickshaw drivers and stop them from picking up passengers violating traffic rules.

The police want to ensure that the drivers park their vehicles at specific stands and pick up passengers waiting in a queue. At present, the three-wheelers stop almost everywhere, even in the middle of busy thoroughfares, to pick up passengers.

Patna traffic superintendent of police (SP) Chandrika Prasad told The Telegraph that the police would hold talks with the autorickshaw drivers and their associations to resolve the problem.

“The menace has to be solved. In Patna, any autorickshaw driver picks up and drops passengers wherever he wants. Like elsewhere in the country, autos will have to wait at a stand and passengers in a queue. The existing system triggers a mad race among the autorickshaw drivers to pick up the maximum passengers. This triggers snarls on the road and causes trouble for commuters,” Prasad said.

“We will convene a meeting with the auto drivers and their associations next month to solve the problem once and for all. The police will enforce a proper system,” the officer told The Telegraph.

The police also want to introduce prepaid autorickshaw and air-conditioned cab services in the state capital.

Areas around Patna Junction, Kargil Chowk, High Court roundabout and Rajabazaar, among others, suffer the most because of the unruly auto drivers. “Yes, this is a major problem. The High Court roundabout remains clogged because of the autorickshaws. The drivers park right in the middle of the road to pick up passengers. The situation has to improve,” Abhishek Kumar, a Boring Road resident, told The Telegraph. The SP, however, claimed that the traffic condition on Station Road was improving.

“We have conducted a drive against illegal parking on Station Road. Things have improved, but there has to be proper parking lots. Talks are on with the railways about creating parking space. The police understand that people are forced to park illegally because of lack of parking space. But a rule is a rule. Autorickshaws create mayhem on the roads. It will be resolved by the end of next month,” Prasad added.