Rickshaw drivers demand fare hike

This,they say,is necessary because not only have the price of fuels gone up but the prices of spare parts,like tyres and tubes,have also increased.

Members of the Pune City Autorickshaw Federation (PCAF) and a few others held an agitation at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Shivajinagar and submitted their memorandum of demands to city RTO Chandrakant Kharatmal.

“Just by driving autorickshaws to make a living is becoming difficult for us. In addition to increased fuel prices,we have to cope with the high rates of inflated spare part items,like tyres and tubes. Besides,there are unavoidable expenses like uniforms and vehicle insurance. Therefore,we are demanding that we should get Rs 10 for the first km as well as for each subsequent km,” said Pradeep Bhalerao,general secretary of PCAF.

“In order to sustain in the difficult times,it is necessary for each rickshaw driver to earn Rs 300 daily. But our average earning is somewhere between Rs 150 and Rs 200,” he said.

The RTA is likely to hold a meeting in this regard next week. “They want a few issues resolved,including fare hike. So we have scheduled a meeting next week,” RTA member Baba Shinde said.