NAGAR SEVA buses would be made available at places of high congestion and to schools and security would be provided to those wishing to ply their autos. These and other decisions were taken at a meeting between DSP Traffic, RTO and autorickshaw unions today.
Most of the autorickshaws remained off roads on the third consecutive day of their strike hitting commuter traffic badly.
The administration, therefore, called a meeting with the office bearers of the unions participating in this strike. It had come to the notice of the administration that autorickshaws associated with some unions were actively participating in this strike while some were lending support from outside and still some others wished to continue their trade.
Lately, some autorickshaws had been forced to stay off the road and those found ferrying passengers had their tyres deflated.
The administration while making it clear that it would not oppose any peaceful means of strike said that it would protect the right to livelihood of those who wished to earn their daily bread and butter without any hindrance.
The unions were told in no less equivocal terms that forcibly taking autos off the roads and manhandling of drivers would be dealt with strictly.
{{/usCountry}}The unions were told in no less equivocal terms that forcibly taking autos off the roads and manhandling of drivers would be dealt with strictly.
{{/usCountry}}Those fearing such an action have been asked to report to the concerned police station or police control room on the slightest suspicion of such an occurrence. The Police Department have been given specific instructions to keep a watchful eye at Sarvate, Navlakha, Gangwal and Labria Bheru bus stands and Railway station and other such areas where large number of commuters visit daily.
Additional Nagar Seva vehicles would also be run in these areas so as to ease congestion and mitigate the suffering of commuters stranded with their bag and baggage at such places.
It was also decided that Nagar Seva buses would be provided to schools where most students use autorickshaws for commuting. The schools would be opening after a two-days holiday tomorrow and therefore, RTO and Traffic personnel would be available from 12 pm to 4 pm over the telephone on which principals of such schools could inform them of their requirements.
The principals have been asked to register the name of their institute, contact number and estimated number of children in need of transport facility. The administration plans to send in Nagar Seva buses at the time the students leave the school premise.
The Nagar Seva buses would leave the students at the traffic junction nearest to their residence at minimum fare. Parents have been asked to send their wards to schools in the mornings on their own, however, some additional Nagar Seva buses would be sent to all traffic squares from where they could be sent to the place enroute nearest to their school.
The Indore Shahar Auto Rickshaw Chaalak Association convened a meeting of auto rickshaw drivers to discuss the future course of the strike they termed ‘fight for survival’ at Gandhi Hall today. Association president Sher Ali said that the programme of the strike had been given 10 days before to the administration giving it enough time to make alternative arrangements.
He appealed to other unions to join their strike, which would continue indefinitely till their demands were accepted. However, a clear division on this issue was seen between the various association members some of whom boycotted the meeting.