Over 1,000 autorickshaw drivers protested outside the Government Guest House in Chepauk on Tuesday morning demanding implementation of new fares and meters.
The protest, which started around 10 a.m., lasted a few hours. “
We want the government to hold an all-autorickshaw union meeting immediately and fix the minimum fare as Rs. 30 and Rs. 15 for every additional kilometre. This would prevent unnecessary arguments between the drivers and commuters,” said M.S. Rajendran, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Autorickshaw Drivers Federation.
He said the government had recently held a meeting with all the unions and taken their recommendations for the new fares. “They also asked the opinion of commuters. So the government should act quickly and implement the fares,” he said.
The autorickshaw drivers also demanded the number of LPG stations be increased across the State. “Most of the autorickshaws are equipped to run on gas. But due to the shortage of stations, they are forced to queue up in front of the outlets for hours. It is not economical to use petrol,” said an autorickshaw driver who participated in the protest.
The drivers also demanded badges be provided to those with proper permits. They stressed the need for State sanction for autorickshaw stands. “We also want the police to allow us to drop passengers in T. Nagar during festive seasons and inside the airport,” said Rajendran.
