Rickshaw union issues ultimatum

SURAT, June 28: Autorickshaw drivers have given the police 48 hours to accept their demands, failing which all rickshaws will go off the ...

SURAT, June 28: Autorickshaw drivers have given the police 48 hours to accept their demands, failing which all rickshaws will go off the road from Wednesday. The warning was issued by representatives of all eight rickshaw unions, who met at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

The three-wheelers are almost certain to go off the roads as the police have rejected the charter of demands submitted by the agitating unions to police commissioner Kuldip Sharma. School rickshaws have already stopped carrying children to schools since Thursday.

Additional commissioner of police traffic in-charge H P Singh told Express Newsline that the charter of demand had already been rejected by the police and there was no question of backing down. He said the demands were absolutely illegal, and the police would continue to crack down on erring drivers.

Surat Autorickshaw Mandal President Mahesh Master, who is the convenor of the agitation, said all 35,000 vehicles would go off the road from 2 p.m. on Wednesday, when the 48-hour deadline expires.

Agitating drivers will hand over copies of their charter of demands to parents who come to schools/nurseries to drop their wards in a bid to get their support. They will also try to hold a meeting with parents and school managements to put across their views.

They will also send appeal letters to political parties, social organisations and non-government organations seeking their help and intervention in the agitation. Master claimed the drivers will make a bonfire in public of school permits to question why there should be two permits passenger permit and school permit for one vehicle.

Singh said Rule 119 of the Motor Vehicle Rules made it mandatory for drivers to take a permit if they carry school children. The rickshaw drivers claim that they were not required to have any permit for carrying up to six children. Singh also dismissed the agitating unions8217; claim that vehicles could not be checked within 100 metres of school premises.