Missed training

Not many autorickshaw drivers are attending the special ‘etiquette classes’ being organised to train them for the Games.

As Commonwealth Games get surrounded by controversies, and construction in many places remains incomplete, other parts of the preparation, such as ‘Etiquette Classes for Auto Drivers’, have also not taken off smoothly.

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While some drivers were not aware of these classes, others did not want to attend them during work hours. “They pay us R 200 per day for attending them. Why should I waste my working hours at these classes, when I can earn more than this by driving my autorickshaw,” said Kishan Shiv Shankar, an auto driver.
However, some, who chose to attend the sessions, liked it, but thought it wasn’t enough.

“I attended the class around three months back. We were taught to charge a fair amount, behave properly and even greet in English. But, how much can I learn in a day? I also cannot miss my work every day for these classes,” said Pawan Kumar Sahu, another driver. However, those like Govind Singh were very excited about these classes. “These things will be very beneficial for us not only during Commonwealth Games, but in the future, too. I drive at night to make up for the day’s lost hours,” he says.