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Delhi taxi and auto drivers’ unions will go on a three-day strike from May 21 to 23, demanding a fare hike due to rising fuel prices.
The All India Motor Transport Congress on Monday wrote to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta outlining the demands.
“Due to the continuously increasing prices of CNG, petrol and diesel, middle-class drivers are struggling to support their families. Therefore, in coordination with other organisations of Delhi, the ‘Chaalak Shakti Union’ has called for a Chakka Jam (strike) and appealed not to operate vehicles on May 21, 22 and 23,” said Anuj Kumar Rathore, vice-president of the Chaalak Shakti Union.
The union warned that if the government does not increase taxi fares and issue a notification within one or two weeks, the protest would be intensified into a “large-scale protest”.
The unions also demanded, “strong policies be formulated to stop the economic exploitation of taxi drivers”.
In the letter, the union said it had approached the Delhi High Court last year, which directed that taxi drivers’ problems be resolved and fares increased. It is alleged that the Delhi government was delaying the matter by saying the file had been sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.
The drivers also raised concerns about app-based cab companies, alleging that they were increasing prices and “acting arbitrarily,” while taxi drivers in Delhi were facing “economic exploitation and slavery-like conditions.”
The letter said taxi fares in the Delhi-NCR region had not been revised for the past 15 years, while the prices of CNG, petrol and diesel had increased sharply.
Last week, the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union also wrote to the chief minister demanding a fare hike. The unions said a protest would also be held at the Delhi Secretariat on May 23.
(With inputs from PTI)
The All India Motor Transport Congress on Monday wrote to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta outlining the demands.
“Due to the continuously increasing prices of CNG, petrol and diesel, middle-class drivers are struggling to support their families. Therefore, in coordination with other organisations of Delhi, the ‘Chaalak Shakti Union’ has called for a Chakka Jam (strike) and appealed not to operate vehicles on May 21, 22 and 23,” said Anuj Kumar Rathore, vice-president of the Chaalak Shakti Union.
The union warned that if the government does not increase taxi fares and issue a notification within one or two weeks, the protest would be intensified into a “large-scale protest”.
The unions also demanded, “strong policies be formulated to stop the economic exploitation of taxi drivers”.
In the letter, the union said it had approached the Delhi High Court last year, which directed that taxi drivers’ problems be resolved and fares increased. It is alleged that the Delhi government was delaying the matter by saying the file had been sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.
The drivers also raised concerns about app-based cab companies, alleging that they were increasing prices and “acting arbitrarily,” while taxi drivers in Delhi were facing “economic exploitation and slavery-like conditions.”
The letter said taxi fares in the Delhi-NCR region had not been revised for the past 15 years, while the prices of CNG, petrol and diesel had increased sharply.
Last week, the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union also wrote to the chief minister demanding a fare hike. The unions said a protest would also be held at the Delhi Secretariat on May 23.
(With inputs from PTI)
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