SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Hyderabad: A one-day strike by auto-rickshaw drivers in Hyderabad on Thursday, February 12, demanding restrictions on autos entering from outside the city, is causing significant inconvenience, particularly for school students and daily commuters.
The strike, which was called by the Telangana State Auto Union, has disrupted people’s morning routines and is expected to have an impact throughout the day.
Key demands
The union has announced the strike to press for two primary demands from the government.
First, they are seeking a ban on auto-rickshaws from other districts operating within Hyderabad city limits. Second, the union is also against bike taxis run by companies like Ola, Uber, and Rapido as they are impacting their income.
Apart from this, they demand a welfare board for auto workers and exemption from e-challans imposed on autos and cabs.
Drivers argue that the last fare revision was years ago and that current earnings are unsustainable. They cited increased competition from app-based cab services like OLA and Uber as a major factor affecting their income.
Speaking to a reporter from Siasat.com, an auto driver said that they are demanding a hike in meter fares as their income has dipped due to bike taxis and autos from other districts operating in the city.
Impact of auto strike on commuters, school students in Hyderabad
School students, who form a large portion of daily auto-rickshaw commuters in the city, are the most affected.
On Thursday morning, at many educational institutions, parents were seen dropping their children.
The sudden unavailability of autos has led to a surge in demand for cabs on platforms like OLA, Uber, and Rapido, with many users reporting delays and difficulties in confirming rides.
The inconvenience due to the auto strike is likely to continue into the evening hours when school students and office-goers in Hyderabad rely on autos for their return trips.
SOURCE : SIASAT
