Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The cascading effects of hike in fuel and gas prices have been hitting people badly as it disturbed the monthly budget of the people.
Due to the hike in fuel prices, truck operators and transport associations have already increased the freight charges by 25 percent and now the auto rickshaw drivers’ union too decided to follow suit.
The auto drivers have demanded the administration to increase the fare for the first kilometre by Rs 17 to Rs 20. The auto rickshaw drivers have also threatened to go on strike if their demands were not met in a week.
President of Indore Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union Rajesh Bidkar said, “Government has been increasing the prices of CNG four times in a month. CNG prices are increasing like anything as it reached the mark of Rs 86 from Rs 60 in a couple of years and it is hitting our business hard as most of the auto drivers couldn’t get anything to save at the end of the month and many even faced trouble in fulfilling needs.
“Not only the gas prices but charges of insurance, RTO, and other things have also been increased but not the auto fares. We are continuously appealing to the government to provide us relief from CNG and other prices but our demands fell on deaf ears. Now, we will have to take harsh decisions and it will impact the budget of people as well,” Bidkar said.
He appealed to the administration to hold a meeting of the district fare regulatory committee and increased the fare of auto rickshaws by Rs 3 for the first kilometre and same for the next kilometre.
“We will strike work if the decision is not taken in a week,” he said.
Rate of school and coaching auto rickshaws increased by Rs 100-200 per month
Bidkar said that the rate of auto rickshaws involved in pick and drop of students from schools and coaching has already been increased by Rs 100-200 per month and it is putting extra burden on parents who are already hit by inflation. Government must take immediate steps to provide relief to them and to the people.
