MUMBAI: Khar resident Shivshankar Mishra (50), a Hindi graduate from Gorakhpur University , was among the over 110 post-graduate and graduates in the city who won the state transport department's lottery for new autorickshaw permits on Thursday. Sources said around 20 women were among the winners in the state.

After 17 years, the state transport department decided to allot 81,456 new auto permits through a lottery system across 49 RTOs, but only 60,000 were allotted as a few RTOs did not get enough applications. Of the 81,456 permits, 20,931 were for Mumbai-12,080 won in the western suburbs and 8,851 in the eastern suburbs. The results were streamed live on the Internet, displayed on screens at RTOs, and SMS alerts were sent to the winners.

Nearly 55,000 applicants thronged the Wadala, Goregaon and Tardeo venues where the results for the city, which were being held at the Andheri RTO , were to be streamed live.

Mishra, who has been plying an auto on rent since 1988, plans to take a loan to buy his own three-wheeler and ply it in Khar and Bandra. "I have to submit all requisite documents, such as educational certificates, driving licence and police NOC, by March 15, and within a month, I will own the permit," said Mishra, whose son is a CA, one daughter a post-graduate in Arts and the other a graduate with teacher's training.

Class X dropout Devendra S Nadar (32), a winner, said, "I am a South Indian, but am fluent in Marathi and also know the suburbs well. Getting a permit will really empower me as I have been struggling to make ends meet. Now, I can save some money and get married. I will instal GPS and GPRS services in my auto and will not refuse fare." He lives with his parents and two brothers in Goregaon.

Happy with the success of the lottery, state transport chief V N More said, "It is a historic event.

We have upset the cartel of corrupt officials and agents and ensured that candidates with no criminal record and proper qualifications are selected to become drivers."

Mishra said, "Earlier, we had to bribe touts, union members and RTO officials to get a permit. Even now, I had first approached a union, which made me fill up a form and took Rs 1,000 as fee. Later, I learnt that the permits were available online. I applied on my own and won." , while lauding the state transport department for the new corruption-free scheme

