A large number of autorickshaw drivers took out a rally from the city railway station to the Raj Bhavan on Saturday. This paralysed the central business district and threw vehicular movement out of gear for a few hours.
Stuck amid vehiclesArterial roads in the heart of the city witnessed heavy traffic jams. Many motorists were caught in the jams on roads connecting Anand Rao Circle, Race Course Road, Platform Street, Seshadripuram, Palace Road, Goods Shed Road, Okalipuram Main Road and surrounding areas.
B. Dayananda, Additional Commissioner (Traffic), conceded that the police were not able to dissuade the autorikshaw drivers from blocking Sheshadri Road near Freedom Park.
The police had tried to convince the autorickshaw drivers to end the rally there, but the drivers blocked the road and staged a protest. “This eventually affected the movement of vehicles in the surrounding areas. Additional personnel were deputed across the city in major junctions and this helped in ensuring that the vehicular movement did not come to a grinding halt,” he said.
Protesters’ demandThe autorickshaw drivers want the auto LPG rates to be rolled back. The price was recently hiked to Rs. 65.63 a kg from Rs. 54.40 a kg. Autorickshaw drivers contended that it would not be feasible for them to eke out a living with the high auto LPG rate.
“The passenger fare was recently increased to Rs. 25. We don’t want to demand another hike in the fare as it will inconvenience the public. The LPG hike should be rolled back,” said a protesting autorickshaw driver who wanted to remain anonymous.
