Auto Rickshaw Drivers Protest Against Bike Taxi Rollout
In Maharashtra, auto rickshaw drivers protested outside RTO offices, demanding a rollback of approvals for bike taxi services, fearing it threatens their livelihood. Led by the Auto Rickshaw Chalak Malak Sanghatna Sanyukt Kruti Samiti Maharashtra, the movement includes a signature campaign and potential further actions if demands aren't met by June 25.
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Auto rickshaw drivers in Maharashtra staged demonstrations in front of Regional Transport Office (RTO) locations on Wednesday, urging the state to reverse its permissions for bike taxi services and bike pooling, arguing these initiatives threaten the livelihood of conventional auto rickshaw operators.
The Auto Rickshaw Chalak Malak Sanghatna Sanyukt Kruti Samiti Maharashtra submitted an official list of demands to the RTOs, while protests were noticeably prominent at the Andheri RTO in Mumbai.
Union leaders have warned of escalating agitations if their calls to overturn the policy by June 25 go unheeded. The group is particularly alarmed by the Maharashtra government's recent resolution enabling bike taxis and pooling in urban areas with over 100,000 residents, claiming it jeopardizes the income of 1.5 million rickshaw drivers.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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