Auto Bandh In Hyderabad On January 30

The Telangana Auto Drivers' Joint Action Committee (TADJAC) convener M Amanullah Khan called for an auto bandh in the GHMC limits on January 30 in protest against the "bogus e-challan system", and demanding a spot-challan system instead.

Addressing the media on Sunday, Khan alleged that the TRS government, after exempting autos from the MV Tax of Rs 450 per year, has started collecting huge sums from auto drivers forcibly in the name of e-challans.

Traffic constables were taking photos of autos when their drivers stopped the vehicles by the road for a bit to collect fares from their passengers, and were imposing huge fines, he alleged.

He said that the traffic police personnel were indulging in misuse of powers while registering e-challan cases. Under the circumstances, the auto drivers were left with no alternative to launching an agitation demanding the spot-challan system in place of the e-challan system, he said.

Star Auto Trolley Association (SATA) president M A Khadhar Pasha said that auto drivers would contest in the GHMC elections as independent candidates. He warned the State government that after the completion of GHMC elections, they would put pressure on the government to implement the spot-challan system on auto drivers.

He, too, criticized the Telangana government for waiving the Rs 500 MV Tax on auto drivers and then collecting thousands of rupees in the name of e-challans, and huge penalties. The traffic department had morphed into the revenue department, he said.

The TRS government had failed to curb pollution and traffic problems in the city, and the soaring prices of essential commodities, and was instead harrassing auto drivers, he added.

He also asked why the traffic police were not registering cases against RTC buses for overloading.

Khadhar Pasha urged the government to implement free third-party insurance for auto drivers.

Union leaders J Ravinder, K Lakshmi Narasaiah, Faruq Bhai, Qader Pasha, Mohd Azeemuddin and others were present.