Delhiites might have to brace up for commuting woes on Monday as a section of auto-rickshaw drivers have decided to go on a symbolic one-day strike starting Sunday midnight. The auto drivers are protesting against the Delhi Government’s order issued last week making GPS meters mandatory in all auto-rickshaws. As a result, the Transport Department has stopped issuing fitness certificate to auto-rickshaws not having GPS meters. Fitness certificate is a mandatory document for any commercial vehicle to ply in the city.
Kishan Verma, president of All Delhi Auto Taxi Transporters’ Congress Union, claimed “his union has decided to hold a one-day strike as all efforts to engage the Transport Department officials failed to yield results”.
However, the city residents might get a breather as other unions, though having similar demands, are not joining the strike. Rajendra Soni of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh said his union members have instead planned to hold a rally and meet the L-G and submit a memorandum. Around one lakh auto-rickshaws ply on the city roads, of which about 25,000 three-wheelers have GPS meters.
