Delhi auto, cab drivers' strike today over fuel price surge| 5 points

The unions are demanding the government to increase the fare rates and reduce the fuel prices.

Published on: Apr 18, 2022, 08:33:14 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Manjiri Sachin Chitre | Edited by Swati Bhasin

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A two-day strike - called by several auto, taxi and cab drivers' associations over the surging fuel prices - kicks off on Monday in Delhi. Locals in the city are likely to bear the brunt weeks after the Bharat Bandh protest triggered similar disruptions. There are over 90,000 autos and more than 80,000 registered taxis complementing the public transport system in the city, according to news agency PTI.

Delhi auto, cab drivers' strike today over fuel price surge (M Zhazo/Hindustan Times)

Also read: CNG, piped natural gas prices hiked in Delhi, and other areas. Check update here

Here are five points on the strike:

The unions are demanding the government to increase the fare rates and reduce the fuel prices. Some of the protesting unions are demanding the fuel prices should not be increased and a subsidy should be provided on the CNG prices. Earlier on April 11, several autos, taxi, and cab drivers had staged a protest at the Delhi secretariat - demanding a subsidy on the CNG prices.
General Secretary of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh Rajendra Soni was quoted as saying by news agency ANI that the central and the Delhi government was not paying heed to their demands.
While most unions informed that they will hold a one-day strike, some others have called for a two-day strike or an ‘indefinite’ strike from Monday - till their demands are met.
The CNG prices, according to PTI, are said to have increased by nearly 60 percent in one year, and the PNG prices have increased by over a third. The IGL (Indraprastha Gas Ltd) hiked the price of CNG in Delhi for the second time in April by ₹2.5 per kg to ₹71.61 per kg. In over five weeks' time, the CNG prices have increased by ₹15.6 per kg.
The auto fares were last revised in 2019, and the taxi fares were last revised in 2013. The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had notified new auto-rickshaw fares in June 2019. The new fares were more than an 18 percent increase over the rates earlier.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

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