Auto, taxi drivers protest ‘forced’ welfare benefits

In Mumbai, autorickshaw and taxi drivers protested at the RTO, claiming coercion to pay ₹800 for a welfare board, labeling it extortion.

MUMBAI: Autorickshaw and taxi drivers staged a protest outside the Andheri regional transport office (RTO) on Wednesday, alleging that the transport authorities are forcing them to sign up for welfare benefits.

Auto, taxi drivers protest ‘forced’ welfare benefits

Unions say drivers are unable to complete routine formalities at Mumbai’s four RTOs unless they first cough up ₹800 to sign up with the new welfare board announced recently. Those who refuse to pay up are unable to renew their vehicle fitness certification and vehicle permits. Calling it “extortion”, union leaders say that signing up for welfare benefits must be optional.

Conceding the demand for welfare benefits, the state transport department recently announced the Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb Maharashtra Autorickshaw and Metered Taxi Drivers Welfare Board. To induct licenced drivers, the four RTOs, at Andheri, Wadala, Borivali and Tardeo, began signing them up less than a fortnight ago. But the ₹800 being collected has the drivers crying foul.

“The RTO staff are illegally forcing rickshaw drivers to pay ₹500 as a one-time fee to sign up with the welfare board, and another ₹300 as an annual fee. The RTO staff refuse to allow drivers to complete various formalities unless they pay up. This is sheer extortion,” alleges Shashank Sharad Rao, president, Mumbai Auto Rickshaw Taximen’s Union. “This is happening at most RTOs and, in the last few days, 5,000-odd drivers have succumbed,” he adds.

Rao says if the RTOs refuse the back down, unions will take “stronger action”, adding that a welfare board should be financially supported by the government, not the beneficiaries.

The unions say the government has set aside a one-time corpus of ₹50 crore for the welfare board. The ₹800 fee being collected will help refresh the corpus, going forward. This would amount to ₹24 crore from Mumbai’s 2.70 lakh licenced auto drivers and 30,000 taxi drivers. The number of permit holders rises to 4.50 lakh in the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Mumbai. “This amounts to ₹36 crore in the kitty,” says Rao.

“From next year, collecting an annual fee of ₹300 in Mumbai will amount to ₹9 crore. Statewide, there are close to 15 lakh permit holders, making the sum collected colossal. How can you expect auto and taxi drivers to pay for their own welfare,” Rao says.

At the Andheri RTO, more than 100 autorickshaw drivers began to assemble from 11am on Wednesday. They carried red flags in protest and parked their vehicles inside the ground opposite the RTO building.

The RTO, for its part, claims there is no coercion to sign up with the welfare board, and there must be a misunderstanding. “We have not made it mandatory. We have asked our staff to inform drivers about the new welfare board but not force them to sign up,” said an RTO officer.

The unions are demanding a dedicated window or desk at the ROTs for drivers who want to avail the welfare scheme. Many permit holders say they cannot afford another expense as the financial cost of running an auto or taxi us already very high. These include permit costs and annual compliance expenses.