Auto-rickshaw operators and drivers and private bus operators have expressed their inability to continue with their services if the administration does not stop the auction of parking stands in city commercial hubs of Bistupur and Sakchi. As a mark of protest they will observe strike from October 8.
A delegation of the operators on Tuesday submitted a memorandum at the office of East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal.
Incidentally, local urban body-Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee-following directive of East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal had last month completed auction of parking stands for auto-rickshaws at Bistupur and had announced of doing similar step of parking stands in city for auto-rickshaw stand and Sakchi bus stand for private town buses.
"We are not in favour of the steps being taken by the administration. We had met East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal and expressed our concerns about auctioning of the Sakchi bus stand as it would lead to additional financial burden by paying parking fees to the contractor in the bus stand. We are protesting against the move of administration," said Sanjiv Singh, a functionary of Shikshit Berozgar Mini Bus Association (SBMBA) - a group of private town bus operators.
Over 120 private town buses ply on 14 routes criss-crossing the city and its outskirts from Sakchi bus stand. These buses carry more than a lakh passengers daily. A few travel to the adjoining industrial belt of Adityapur, Gamharia and Kandra in neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
About 15,000-odd auto-rickshaws also ply in different routes. The auto drivers in the city have joined hands to protest the move. The drivers under the banner of Jamshedpur Shikshit Berojgaar staged demonstration and alleged that the drivers are being harassed.
Secretary of the sangh, Shyam Kinkar Jha has also raised a voice of resent against the traffic police drive. "If the police continue with their drive we would be forced to call indefinite strike of all the auto operators in the city," said Jha. He said that drivers are being harassed in the name of no entry and no parking.
State Congress leader SRA Rizwi Chabban said that the administration should take immediate steps to address issues of the auto drivers. He noted that when larger vehicles can run inside the city so why not tempos. If that happens, drivers are willing to fight. The Congress party will not at all allow the government officials to harass the drivers.
Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee special officer, Dipak Sahay said that auction of parking stands was done after the directive of the deputy commissioner. "We have completed the auction of private auto-rickshaw stand in Bistupur and would be soon doing the same for Sakchi and other market areas. We also have plans for auction of private town bus stand," he noted.