Big relief as auto, taxi unions call off strike

Commuters wait for transport at the Old Delhi Railway Station on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

The Delhi government on Thursday said that the agitating auto rickshaw and yellow-top taxi unions have called off their strike against app-based taxi services late on Thursday. The strike, which had hit the national capital hard for the last two days, was called off after an understanding was reached between the government and the unions.

“Seventeen auto and taxi unions had called off their strike on Wednesday itself, while the rest called off the strike on Thursday. After talks with the unions, it was decided that the vehicles registered in other states, if found plying as autos or taxis in Delhi, will be prosecuted. The action will include impounding these vehicles,” a spokesperson with the Delhi government said.

Apart from this, it will be mandatory for the radio taxis (with DL1RT series) to ply according to meter and the drivers of such vehicles will have to keep their licence and badges with them. Heeding to the demands of the agitating unions, the government has also done away with the mandatory classes for the light motor vehicle drivers during the renewal of their licences. “It has also been decided that the autos or taxis coming from the NCR region to Delhi will not be able to ferry commuters outside Delhi,” he added.

On Thursday morning, though thousands of autos were back on the streets, passengers complained that those still on strike forced them out of plying autos. Incidents of forcible stopping of autorickshaws were reported from several areas in the capital, making commuting difficult.

Autorickshaws and yellow top taxi drivers had went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday against app-based cab aggregators. The Delhi government announced on Wednesday evening that 17 unions had decided to call off the strike. But clearly, some unions were not party to the agreement.

People had a harrowing time on Thursday after striking auto drivers halted traffic near Mahipalpur, on the road to the airport, in South Delhi. Some 200 drivers also protested in West Delhi’s Rohini area. Chetan Kumar, an auto driver leading the protest, said: “We have stopped about 25 autos and taxis of Ola and Uber in Delhi. We won’t allow them to operate.” Many auto drivers said they did not want to be part of the strike but the police were doing nothing to stop the “hooliganism”. “I don’t even understand the reason behind the strike,” said one driver, Babu Lal. “How can we go on an indefinite strike Who will earn for my family ”

The president of the Joint Action Committee of Auto and Taxi Unions (Jacatu), Rajendra Soni, said drivers indulging in violence must be booked by police.

“They are not our people but from the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party).”