Auto, taxi unions give call for strike on Monday

With the second phase of odd-even scheme rolling out today, a section of auto and taxi unions has given a call for a one-day strike on Monday to protest against app-based cab services, a move which may cause hardship to commuters in the national capital.

Rajendra Soni, who is general secretary of both ‘Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh’ and ‘Delhi Pradesh Taxi Unions,’ said that auto and black-yellow taxis will not ply on the capital’s roads on Monday to protest against the app-based cab services.

Soni said the AAP government has so far not issued 10,000 new permits of autorickshaws which it had cancelled after alleged irregularities in their distribution.

“On one hand, government talks about strengthening public transport, but on the other hand it has not issued 10,000 new permits of autos so far. Besides, we have also been demanding to stop app-based taxis as their operation is illegal. They are snatching our livelihood.

“When we had met Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai on March 14, he had assured us to fulfil our demands within next 15 days, but till now, no decision has been taken by the government,” he said.

There are around 13,000 black-yellow taxis and around 81,000 autorickshaws plying on the streets of the capital.

If they go on strike, commuters may face hardships while using public transport as the fortnight-long odd-even scheme is already in place in the capital.

Earlier this week, a section of auto and taxi unions had taken out a protest march against the app-based taxi services in the Capital.