Telangana autorickshaw drivers demand minimum fare hike to forty rupees

Autorickshaw drivers reiterate demand of fare increase

Autorickshaw drivers and app-based transport workers unions have pressed the Telangana government to raise the minimum and per kilometre fare, submitting their demands to Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar in a follow-up meeting.

The unions sent representatives including B. Venkatesham, A. Sathireddy, M.A. Saleem, Ajay Babu and others as part of a joint action committee (JAC) who brought the issues to Mr. Prabhakar's notice, continuing discussions that began in an earlier meeting held on September 7.

Fare hike proposal

The JAC leaders sought an increase in the minimum auto fare to ₹40 and the fare for every subsequent kilometre to ₹18. Mr. Prabhakar responded by saying that decisions taken at the September 7 meeting would soon be implemented. He assured the union leaders that the government was working on the modalities for setting up a welfare board for autorickshaw workers. The Minister also said the government was in the process of developing an app for the sector.

Registration and permit issues

The union leaders urged the government to bar the operation of autorickshaws in the city that are registered in districts other than Hyderabad. They said permits could be issued to local auto drivers to meet the city's transport requirements. The Minister assured them that the remaining auto permits covered under Government Order No. 263 would be issued shortly, the JAC stated.

Mr. Prabhakar also suggested the union leaders nominate a smaller delegation of about five representatives to meet him every week and discuss the problems faced by autorickshaw drivers until the issues were resolved.

Source: The Hindu