Autorickshaws in Delhi to go off roads tomorrow

July 28, 2014

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Striking auto-rickshaw drivers on Monday. (Ravi Kanojia)

Protesting against corruption in Delhi Traffic Police department, autorickshaws to go off roads for a day. (Source: Ravi Kanojia)

A large number of autorickshaws in Delhi will go off roads on Monday against alleged highhandedness of traffic police and transport department.

“We have decided to go on one-day strike on Monday as we are continuously being harassed by the traffic police officials. We are not allowed to take passengers from Railway stations and Metro stations unless we pay a fixed amount to them,” Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh general secretary Rajendra Soni said.

Singh alleged, “Traffic cops sit in civil dress in our auto and ask for bribe. When we refuse, they seize our vehicles or impose heavy fines on drivers. We have also taken up the matter with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Joint CP (traffic) Anil Shukla, but nobody has paid any heed to our demand. Auto drivers now don’t have any option but to go on strike.”

The autorickshaw union members said that Central Government should immediately take steps to prevent “corruption” in Traffic Police.

There are around 80,000 autorickshaws plying in the national capital. Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh claimed that they have a control over the maximum numbers of autorickshaws in the city.

According to Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh, around 1,000 autorickshaw drivers recently had surrendered their vehicles, which completed their 15 years permitted age, for the replacement, but the Transport Department is not issuing certificates to drivers to purchase new autos from the market.

“We are very upset with the transport department, which is not allowing drivers to have new vehicles despite the fact that they have surrendered their old vehicles for scrapping,” Rajendra added.

He threatened that if their demand is not fulfilled in the next three-four days, the autorickshaw will go off roads from 4 PM everyday.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay today called upon Police Commissioner B S Bassi to take cognisance of allegations by autorickshaw drivers.

The BJP leader also appealed to auto drivers not to go on strike.

“BJP strongly condemns any type of corruption and it is important that Delhi Police put its house in order so that such complaints don’t rise. BJP appeals to Auto Rickshaw drivers to not to go on strike and assured them that their lawful demands will be supported,” Satish Upadhyay said.

Source:The Hindu