HYDERABAD: Auto-rickshaw drivers called off their proposed strike from Monday after the state government agreed to meet their demands.
As the talks between the auto-rickshaw drivers and transport department officials proved fruitful on Sunday, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar thanked the drivers for calling off the strike. Transport Commissioner K Ilambarithi and other officials held talks with the representatives of various auto-rickshaw unions on Sunday night.
The minister, meanwhile, made it very clear that the RTC will not be buying EV auto-rickshaws. He also revealed that a meeting with auto-rickshaw unions would be held on September 1 to finalise modalities for the establishment of a welfare board for their benefit.
During the talks, the government also agreed to hike the auto fare, which has not been increased since 2012. A GO hiking the auto fares would be issued after a study, he said.
A dedicated app on the lines of those being used by Ola and Uber would be developed by the government for auto drivers, he said. The minister also assured auto drivers that the election promise of providing `12,000 financial assistance would be implemented. The matter would be discussed with Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka soon, he said.
In order to reduce pollution in the city, the government had already decided to provide Rs 1.5 lakh aid to auto drivers to convert their existing autos into EV vehicles, he added.