Telangana Auto Drivers Unions JAC meeting held on Thursday evening unanimously decided to organize a one-day “Auto Bandh” and drivers massive rally on April 13 in protest against Uber and Ola cabs collecting less than auto fares and demanding that the government proscribe these cabs.
The other demands include that the Chief Minister should fulfill his promise made to the auto drivers at the time of 2014 Assembly elections that auto drivers will be issued D.Ls without VIII Class pass condition, spot challans instead of bogus e-challans system, the traffic police should not seize autos without proper reason, the government should set up Auto Drivers Welfare Board and so on.
Mohd. Amanullah Khan (TADJAC), B. Venkatesham (AITUC), V. Kiran (IFTU), V. Kiran (IFTU), P. Lakshmaiah (CITU), M.A. Saleem (Auto Owners Association), A. Satti Reddy (TADS) and Haveeb Ali (BMS) leaders of the JAC in a joint press statement alleged that the Uber and Ola companies were conspiring to send away all the auto rickshaws from the city and instead settle down in their place. They demanded that the Transport Department clarify as to who have fixed the fares in respect of OLA Cabs at Rs 6 per km. They also said as per Sec. 67 of the MV Act, the Transport Department has to fix the fares in respect of Public Service Vehicles like autos and taxi cabs and see that the vehicles do not indulge in uneconomic competition. It seems that the Uber and Ola companies are running parallel government by fixing their fares illegally and there was no one to question them. They demanded that the government put a ban on the diesel-run Uber and Ola Cabs plying illegally on the city roads. (NSS)