IT firm employee claims no salary hike for 3 years, wants to buy autorickshaw: ‘Drive it before, after working hours’

Frustrated over stagnant pay, a Thane man claimed he’s considering moonlighting as an auto driver after office hours to make ends meet.

In a post that went viral on Reddit and was widely shared across social media, an unverified user from Thane claimed he hadn’t received a salary hike in three years and was now exploring ways to supplement his income, including driving an autorickshaw after work hours.

The user, who identified himself as a working professional in a non-technical role, said that job switch attempts hadn’t worked out. (Pexels/Representational Image)

The user, who identified himself as a working professional in a non-technical role at a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), said that job switch attempts hadn’t worked out due to a lack of openings. “I had planned to buy a bike this year, but now I’m thinking of investing in an autorickshaw instead. I’ll drive it before and after office hours and rent it out when I’m not using it,” he wrote, adding that his investment budget was limited to ₹80,000.

Check out his post here:

Reddit -r/thane (r/thane)

Reddit reactions:

The post sparked a flurry of responses. Some suggested exploring gig economy alternatives like food delivery or Rapido, which would also help him own a bike while avoiding the complexities of obtaining a rickshaw permit.

Others offered detailed advice on how he could earn money by renting the auto to a driver during the day, taking school children on scheduled routes in the morning, and splitting earnings with a partner. Estimated profits ranged from ₹13,000 to ₹17,000 a month, according to some users’ rough calculations.

One commenter shared a personal experience of trying Rapido out of boredom during a long vacation. “I worked 4–5 hours and made ₹1,000. Met a lot of interesting people, VPs, directors, better networking than LinkedIn,” the user noted.

However, a more grounded reply warned about hidden costs. “Apart from rickshaw, fuel, and permits, keep money aside for bribes. Nothing gets done here without it,” they cautioned.

HT.com could not verify the authenticity of the post; however, the conversation it triggered highlights the growing financial pressures facing salaried professionals in the current job market in India, and the increasing appeal of alternative income streams.