Autos to go on strike

Delhi Autorickshaw Chalak Sangh on Monday threatened that the 70,000 autorickshaws in the Capital will remain off roads on February 20 and 21. They are protesting against alleged police atrocities as well as fares not being hiked.

Delhi Autorickshaw Chalak Sangh on Monday threatened that the 70,000 autorickshaws in the Capital will remain off roads on February 20 and 21. They are protesting against alleged police atrocities as well as fares not being hiked.

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Rajender Soni, general secretary of the association, said the drivers will also stage a dharna at Jantar Mantar on February 11. "We have given a notice to the transport department and the lieutenant governor," he said.

"CNG prices have doubled in recent times but we have not been allowed to hike fares. Even after drivers pay fine for violations, their vehicles are being released after 10-15 days. We're being fined if we say no to a passenger and want to go home after eight hours of work. We will not tolerate all this," he said.

"There are 3,000 new vehicles in the city. But they are not being registered on flimsy grounds," Soni added.

The government has already set up a committee, comprising senior officials of the transport department, to suggest a hike in autorickshaw and taxi fares. The unions have been asking for at least a 40% hike in auto and taxi fares.