All driving schools have to open a wing to train drivers of three-wheelers, the state government has decided in a bid to institutionalise training of drivers of autorickshaws and e-rickshaws.
Across Kolkata, most auto drivers learn the skills from other drivers before turning up for the mandatory test to bag a driving licence.
At a recent meeting between police officers and representatives of the transport department, it emerged that many three-wheeler drivers were ignorant of the rules of driving. They are unaware of the meanings of road markings and traffic signage.
The result: three-wheelers are responsible for a large number of road accidents in Kolkata and its adjoining areas such as Howrah and Barrackpore.
“We have decided to make formal training of three-wheeler drivers at driving schools mandatory to reduce the number of road accidents. It’s just not enough to pick up the skill of driving, knowledge of driving is important, too,” Bengal transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty told The Telegraph.
The provision of training three-wheeler drivers was always there but almost no driving school trains them because of low returns.
Senior officials in the transport department said messages have been sent to all regional transport officers in Kolkata and districts asking them to inform motor training schools to prepare for training three-wheeler drivers.
“The licence of the schools will not be renewed if they fail to open a wing to train three-wheeler drivers. Inspectors will visit the schools to check if the infrastructure is ready or not,” said an official in the transport department.
The schools will issue a certificate at the end of the course.
“The transport department has a training manual specific to three-wheeler drivers. If the schools want, they can get the manual for free,” the official said.
Candidates who enrol for training courses in the schools are taught, apart from the basics of driving, about road signage, signals, speed restrictions and penalties for violating traffic rules, officials said.
“Some of the basics like the significance of the amber light, when you need to use the indicator and how to drive through a no-honking zone will be taught in the schools, along with driving. Knowledge of such rules will help reduce the number of accidents,” a senior official in the transport department said.
The need to train three-wheeler drivers was felt around the time when the state government decided to issue around 3,000 more autorickshaw permits in the areas under the Kolkata, Howrah, Bidhannagar and Barrackpore police commissionerates.
“Most of the cases of rash and negligent driving by auto drivers are reported from Park Circus, Ultadanga, Tollygunge and Behala. We have been slapping cases on errant drivers. Most of them have picked up driving skills without knowing the driving rules,” said a senior officer at Lalbazar.