Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Strike On March 15

The Telangana Auto Drivers' Joint Action Committee (TADJAC) has issued a call for a one-day-long "auto bandh" on March 15. The protest is being organised to demand "corruption-free" RTA offices among other things.

Talking about their grievances, members of the committee said, "We want the state government to formulate the guidelines necessary to stop the zulum (oppressive behaviour) and harassment of private auto rickshaw financiers. We also want the government to order the transfer of Hyderabad East Zone and West Zone RTA officials Subash Reddy and C P Venkateshwar Rao respectively, without any delay."

Reiterating the demands, TADJAC convener Mohammed Amanullah Khan told the media that there was an urgent need to weed out corruption from the RTA, and also to lower the prices of fuel, including LPG, CNG and petrol.

He added that the committee would ask for the banning of "highly polluting diesel-run Ola and Uber cabs" within city limits, for stringent action to be taken against the cab drivers "looting" passengers using the excuse of surge pricing, for the reduction of pending E-challan dues by 50%, for the re-implementation of the older "spot Challan issuing system" instead of the E-challan system, for a rollback of the Centre's decision to reduce the driving licence retest period from 5 years to 1 year, and for the revision of auto fares.

"It is imperative that auto fares be increased, as the cost of living and of vehicle maintenance and operation have increased dramatically," the convener said.

Another key demand the auto rickshaw drivers want fulfilled is the implementation of a scheme for the provision of an annual aid of Rs 10,000. Khan pointed out that a similar scheme was already being implemented in Andhra Pradesh.

Auto-rickshaw drivers have been hit very hard by the drastic fuel price hike especially since the price rise has come at a time when they are just about finding their feet after incurring huge losses through the recent lockdown