Autorickshaw unions protest against issuance of new permits

The unions also raised additional demands, including the establishment of a welfare corporation for auto and taxi drivers and the cancellation of autorickshaw licenses issued to government and semi-government employees.

Shafique Patel, head of the Azad Rickshaw Chalak Sanghatana, said they submitted several demands to the RTO and other transport authorities, particularly regarding auto drivers’ concerns. “Day by day, the number of autos in Pune is increasing, which has not only created problems for drivers but has also added to traffic congestion,” he said.

Patel further said they demanded the implementation of the Aggregator Act policy in Pune. Platform-based apps such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido offer lower fares, which undercut auto and cab drivers operating with government-mandated meter rates. However, the issue of fare regulation by aggregators and the permit to operate in the city have been ongoing and are currently under review by the State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT) court, where proceedings are underway.

The issuance of new permits dates back to a decision by the state government. On June 17, 2017, the state home department issued a circular lifting the restrictions on fresh auto permit issuance that had been in place since 1997. According to RTO officials, permits were not issued for nearly 20 years, but registrations resumed after the 2017 order.

In 2017, the number of autorickshaws registered at the Pune RTO was approximately 46,000. From 2017 to 2024, an additional 83,000 permits were issued. Similarly, at the Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO, the number of autorickshaws rose from 34,000 in 2017 to an additional 40,000 permits granted during the same period.

Deputy Regional Transport Office, Pune, Swapnil Bhosale said the office has considered some of the demands within its jurisdiction and forwarded the remaining issues to higher authorities for review.
B
hosale also shared vehicle registration data for the year 2024, revealing that a total of 303,046 vehicles were registered in the city, including 12,462 new permits issued to autorickshaws.