It is a tough day for commuters in Mumbai with the Autorickshaw-Taximen's Union calling for a one-day strike in the Maharashtra capital.
The union is demanding a ban on app-based taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola and seeking action on vehicles that can be booked through call centres. According to the union, these taxi services are affecting businesses of local taxi and autorickshaw.
Justifying the strike, an autorickshaw driver said, "Private taxies pick up all the passengers on low rates and we only get local passengers. The union is doing the right thing by calling this strike."
"We want the private taxies to be stopped. We will continue the strike till our demands are fulfilled," he added.
The union has also been demanding the revocation of Maharashtra government’s decision to scrap the Hakim panel on auto and taxi fares.
The Union has appealed to 15 lakh autorickshaw men across the state to join the stir, which may hit lakhs of commuters as it claims to have 95 per cent of the auto owners under its wing.
Meanwhile, office of the Transport Commissioner has taken slew of precautionary measures to subdue the impact of the auto strike.
"Apart from allowing private vehicles on the roads for the day, we have also spoken to senior Mumbai police officers who would be keeping vigil over Law and Order situation," said Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Sonia Sethi.
"We have also lined up with BEST and MSRTC buses which would be running extra services to serve the needy people. Also, we have discussed most issues with unions and have addressed many of them while pending issues are being looked into at priority level," she said.
However, another union called the Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union is not supporting the strike and has demanded proper security for those who would be plying their rickshaws on Wednesday.
(With PTI Inputs)
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