A large number of autorickshaws in Delhi will be off roads on Monday against the alleged high-handedness of the 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 and Metro stations unless we pay a fixed amount to them,” said Rajendra Soni, General Secretary, Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh.
Soni further 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 the 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 demands. We will not grease palms to keep the wheels oiled.”
The autorickshaw union members said that the Centre should immediately take steps to prevent “corruption” in the Traffic Department.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 the Sangh, around 1,000 auto drivers recently had surrendered their vehicles for replacement, on completing their permitted age of 15 years, but the Transport Department is not issuing certificates to drivers to purchase new auto from the market.
“We are very upset with the Transport Department for not allowing drivers to have new vehicles despite the fact surrendering the old ones for scrapping,” Soni added. He threatened that if their demand is not fulfilled in the next three-four days, autos will go off roads after 4 pm every day. Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, on Sunday, called upon Police Commissioner BS Bassi to take cognizance of the allegations by autorickshaw drivers. The BJP leader also appealed auto drivers not to go on a strike. “The BJP strongly condemns any kind of graft and it is important that the Delhi Police sets its house in order so that such complaints don’t arise. The party further appeals auto drivers to not sit on strike and assures them that their lawful demands will be supported,” said Upadhyay.