Strike holds many passengers arriving in the city to ransom

Autorickshaw drivers stayed off city's roads by the thousands on Tuesday in response to the strike call given by various unions that came together to pressure the Government into conceding their longstanding demands.

The prepaid autorickshaw stands at the three major railway stations — Cantonment, City and Yeshwanthpur — wore a deserted look. A policeman at the pre-paid counter in Cantonment said only one autorickshaw driver showed up compared with around 1,000 on a normal working day. The counter in Yeshwanthpur remained closed.

Worst affected

While commuters across the city were hit by the strike, those arriving to the city through railway stations and bus-stops were by far the worst affected.

“I didn't know there was a strike. There is no way I can take a bus with all this luggage and my two children,” said S. Amuda (35), who had taken the train from Chennai. She was one among the many seemingly well-to-do commuters seen offering a higher fare to the unrelenting drivers outside the City Railway Station at Majestic.

The usual scalping

While most of the drivers flatly refused to ferry them, others confessed they were afraid of being targeted if they obliged passengers. “A driver demanded Rs. 500 to take me to Koramangala,” complained R. Kantha as he made his way to the Majestic bus stop.

There was a minor quarrel at Majestic station between the auto drivers when The Hindu tried to talk to one of them. No sooner did the driver say he was afraid to work when some others interrupted the conversation. “You want to work; go ahead. Stop badmouthing us,” yelled a driver as others told this reporter that there was no pressure on anyone to participate in the strike.

Working late

A common sight across the city was drivers snoozing in their vehicles as they waited for the 6 p.m. deadline to expire.

“I parked myself in the queue early in the afternoon so that I get the first customers when the strike ends,” said K. Bhaskar, who was waiting at the Yeshwanthpur Railway Station. Earning around Rs. 700 on a normal day, he said he would probably have to ply well into the night to make up for the loss of earnings.

“Strike or no strike I have to pay Rs. 130 as rent to the owner of the auto besides meeting household expenses,” he said.

Alternative solution

Though he said with the current minimum fare of Rs. 17 autorickshaw drivers struggle to turn a profit daily, Manju Kumar was sceptical whether increasing it to Rs. 24 was the solution. “We saw a reduction in the numbers of passengers after the minimum was increased from Rs. 12 to Rs. 17. If it is hiked to Rs. 24, no one will opt for autorickshaws. They would prefer to go by bus.”

Instead of hiking the minimum fare, he said, things would work better if the Government subsidises fuel. “This way, passengers would not be burdened, and it would help us autorickshaw drivers too,” said Mr. Kumar.