<p>Commuters need to brace themselves as the autorickshaw and taxi drivers in the Capital have decided to join the all-India strike of government employees, called by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh on February 28. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The associations of auto and taxi drivers claim that strike will have severe effects as their several demands have not been met by government agencies for a long time.<br /><br />Prominent <br /><br />“A major demand put forth is to constitute a welfare board which would help family of drivers who meet unfortunate deaths or get injured in road accidents,” said Rajendra Soni, president of Bharatiya Private Transport Mazdoor Mahasangh. <br /><br />“The transport minister had given us written assurance on it last year, but the demand has not been met yet,” he said. <br /><br />Soni added that such welfare boards exist in other states like Kerala and Rajasthan. He said an amount of the money accrued in lieu of service charge at pre-paid booths could be used for running the welfare fund for the drivers. <br />“Rs 10 per trip is charged from the auto and taxi drivers at the pre-paid booths. A part of the fund could be earmarked for the welfare board,” Soni argued. <br /><br />He claimed that apart from service charge, the traffic department is also benefited from the unclaimed money of the drivers as they lose the challans issued from the pre-paid booths.<br /><br />Business at risk<br /><br />The association’s members said they have submitted memorandums to the transport department and traffic police, informing them about their decision to join the strike. <br /><br />The members said radio cabs, which have their counters right outside the exit gates of the railways stations, puts their business at risk.<br /><br />“A memorandum given to the railways includes the demand to re-designate the location of pre-paid booths of regular taxis and autos at New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations,” said the members. <br /><br />The auto and taxi drivers are also demanding upgrade of places in the data of pre-paid booths, inclusion of places in NCR in the databank for taxis and increasing the number of auto and taxi stands in the Capital.<br /></p>
<p>Commuters need to brace themselves as the autorickshaw and taxi drivers in the Capital have decided to join the all-India strike of government employees, called by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh on February 28. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The associations of auto and taxi drivers claim that strike will have severe effects as their several demands have not been met by government agencies for a long time.<br /><br />Prominent <br /><br />“A major demand put forth is to constitute a welfare board which would help family of drivers who meet unfortunate deaths or get injured in road accidents,” said Rajendra Soni, president of Bharatiya Private Transport Mazdoor Mahasangh. <br /><br />“The transport minister had given us written assurance on it last year, but the demand has not been met yet,” he said. <br /><br />Soni added that such welfare boards exist in other states like Kerala and Rajasthan. He said an amount of the money accrued in lieu of service charge at pre-paid booths could be used for running the welfare fund for the drivers. <br />“Rs 10 per trip is charged from the auto and taxi drivers at the pre-paid booths. A part of the fund could be earmarked for the welfare board,” Soni argued. <br /><br />He claimed that apart from service charge, the traffic department is also benefited from the unclaimed money of the drivers as they lose the challans issued from the pre-paid booths.<br /><br />Business at risk<br /><br />The association’s members said they have submitted memorandums to the transport department and traffic police, informing them about their decision to join the strike. <br /><br />The members said radio cabs, which have their counters right outside the exit gates of the railways stations, puts their business at risk.<br /><br />“A memorandum given to the railways includes the demand to re-designate the location of pre-paid booths of regular taxis and autos at New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations,” said the members. <br /><br />The auto and taxi drivers are also demanding upgrade of places in the data of pre-paid booths, inclusion of places in NCR in the databank for taxis and increasing the number of auto and taxi stands in the Capital.<br /></p>
