Auto Drivers Call for one-day Strike on January 8 in Telangana

The Autorickshaw Drivers Union Joint Action Committee (ADU-JAC) of Telangana State has called for one-day statewide strike on January 8, 2020, protesting against the anti-labour policies of State and Central governments and to press for their demands including the setting up of a welfare board for drivers and to revise the fares to keep pace with the rising costs.

Auto Drivers Call for one-day Strike on January 8 in Telangana

According to those opposing the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, it will increase the burden on drivers due to heavy challans. The bill, approved by the Lok Sabha last year and now waiting for approval from the upper house, defines aggregators as “digital intermediary or market place for a passenger to connect with a driver for the purpose of transportation”. As of now, aggregators are unregulated in India.

Shaik Salauddin, chairman of Telangana Taxi and Drivers Joint Action Committee said, “If we are termed as aggregators, we can neither go to the labour department or the transport department when there is a crisis.”
The new bill proposes high penalties for various traffic offenses, three-year jail for parents of minors drivers causing fatal accidents and a tenfold increase in compensation for families of accident victims. While the minimum fine for drunk driving has been increased from 2,000 to 10,000, the fine for rash driving has been increased from 1,000 to 5,000 and similarly driving without a license will attract a minimum fine of 5,000 as against 500 at present.

Releasing the poster of the strike at Satyanarayana Bhavan in Himayat Nagar, the JAC leaders B Venkatesham, Amanullakhan, Marayya, Kiran, Mallesh Goud, Ajay Babu, Srinu, Satti Reddy, Ramesh, and Mirza Rafatbagh spoke to the media and said that the government should cancel the motor vehicle act and set up auto drivers welfare association. In the wake of the rise in insurance policies, they also demanded Rs 10,000 from the government. Their demands also include a rise in the meter charges and restricting the auto drivers from entering the city.