NEW DELHI: Cab and auto drivers staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday demanding revision a revision of fares in the wake of the steep rise in CNG prices. The drivers also threatened to go on an indefinite strike from April 18 if their demands were not met.
“If the government ignores cab drivers by considering them weak, vehicles will not run in Delhi NCR from April 18. This is an open warning,” said Kamal Jeet Gill, president of Sarvodaya Drivers Association, Delhi.
The drivers, including those associated with Ola and Uber, also sent a memorandum of their demands to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Arvind Kejriwal. The prices of CNG are nearing Rs 70 per kg but cab and auto drivers are still operating on old fares, another association member said.
After two consecutive days of hikes, CNG in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi costs Rs 69.11 per kg. CNG rates were hiked by Rs 2.5 per kilogram on April 7. The price has risen by Rs 13.1 per kg in the last month.
Around 1 lakh auto rickshaws are currently plying in the national capital. Delhi’s public transport, including cabs, autos, taxis and buses, is majorly CNG driven. Earlier in March, the drivers of cabs, tourist taxis had made a similiar protest at Jantar Mantar to demand removal of MCD toll tax and streamlining the process of fixing fares by app-based taxi services Uber and Ola. They had also made a demand for subsidised fuel.