Delhi auto union holds protest at Jantar Mantar, demands setting up of welfare board

The Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, August 17 demanding the setting up of a welfare board and highlighting other transport-related issues.

Under the umbrella of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the Sangh held the agitation against the central and state governments.

“The state and central governments are not listening to us. The promise made during the elections of setting up a welfare board has not been fulfilled by the Delhi government. In the past one-and-a-half years, no meeting has been called to understand our problems despite several requests from our union,” Rajendra Soni, general secretary of the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, said while addressing the gathering at Jantar Mantar.

According to Soni, the fitness test fee is now Rs 800, compared with zero under the previous government.

The Transport Ministry had raised the fitness test fee for all motor vehicles older than 20 years in November 2025 to discourage people from keeping old vehicles.

The union also demanded fixed working-hour limits, accountability for officials of the Delhi Transport Department and an immediate ban on bike taxis operating with private number plates, Soni added.

However, there was no impact on the availability of autorickshaws and cabs in the city during the protest.