Auto drivers threaten to go on strike over fuel prices

Give ultimatum to city govt to roll back hike in CNG prices

Two days after coming to power, Aam Aadmi Party is facing trouble with its core vote bank, autorickshaw drivers.

On Monday, autorickshaw driver unions gave an ultimatum to the government on fulfilling its promise to roll back the hiked CNG prices or make adjustment in charges of autorickshaw.

Auto union’s Rajender Soni on Monday met the new transport minister Saurabh Bhardwaj and submitted a memorandum claiming that the unions will go on strike by next week in case of government inaction.

“The party leaders had promised to do something on the hiked CNG price rise. It has been two days but we have not received any assurance from the government. We have decided to go on strike if the government does not roll back the price or hike autorickshaw fares,” Soni said.

The rates of CNG in Delhi and NCR have been substantially hiked by 10 per cent on Thursday.

Bhardwaj reportedly assured them that the government will take a decision in their favour very soon.

Inter-state autos

Bhardwaj also assured that the inter-state autorickshaw service, a much-awaited project of the former government, will start soon. On Monday, Bhardwaj chaired a meeting on the issues with his department’s bureaucrats and ordered to issue permits to 5,500 inter-state autorickshaws.

“These autorickshaws will run within the National Capital Region. Commuters often face troubles in hiring an autorickshaw to commute between Noida and Delhi or Gurgaon and some other neighbouring city,” he said. “These autorickshaws will be able to run across the borders of the city freely. This will be implemented soon,” he added.