Auto-rickshaws across the State went off the roads on Wednesday as the All Odisha Auto Chalaka Mahasangha went on a dawn-to-dusk strike in protest against the decision to hike registration, insurance and fitness certificate fees by the Government.
Communications were severely affected due to the strike. Nearly 30,000 auto rickshaws went off the roads in the capital city, bringing misery for the passengers.
Members of the Bhubaneswar Auto Mahasangha staged a dharna at lower PMG here and held a public meeting. Association members of Cuttack, Chandikhol, Rourkela and other parts of the State also took part in the meeting.
The Mahasangha demanded that the Centre and the State Government withdraw the fee hike which would cause financial hardship for them.
“This is a fight for our daily bread and butter which is going to be hit by the Government’s decision. When State Government introduced city buses, we welcomed the move in the interest of general commuters. But now, the Government is trying to prevent plying of auto-rickshaws in the city. We condemn it and we will intensify our stir unless our demands are met,” Mahasangha general secretary Subash Singh said.
The 12-hour auto rickshaw stir also put in great inconvenience the office-goers, school and college students and the tourists in the holy town of Puri.
Finding no way out, the commuters had to trudge to their destinations or wait for hours for the buses.