HYDERABAD: It’s almost a case of so near, yet so far for a majority of autorickshaw drivers these days. They can clearly see a way out of constantly rising fuel prices and shrinking earnings, but simply cannot afford to get there.
For thousands of auto drivers across Telangana, electric vehicles appear to offer the only real escape from mounting fuel bills and falling savings at the end of the day. But with electric autos costing between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, most drivers say the shift remains only a distant possibility.
While the state government has been aggressively pushing electric mobility and cleaner transport alternatives, drivers say there is little practical support for those who actually spend their lives on the road.
Auto unions are now demanding that the government extend to drivers the same kind of incentives recently announced for its employees purchasing EVs. Under the initiative, government employees were offered discounts of up to 20% on electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
“Similar support should be extended to auto drivers too. We survive on these vehicles and spend our lives driving on the roads,” Telangana Auto Drivers Samakhya president A Sathireddy said.
Though registration fees and road taxes for EVs have been waived, drivers say that alone offers little relief when the vehicle itself remains unaffordable. As a result, many continue to depend on rented CNG and LPG autos, paying daily rents ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 800.
More than five lakh auto-rickshaws are currently operating across Telangana, including around 1.09 lakh in Hyderabad alone. But a majority of drivers do not own the vehicles they drive. After paying rent, fuel charges and maintenance expenses, many say there is barely enough left to take home.
“Most of us are working only to clear the vehicle rent and fuel costs. Whatever remains is just enough to somehow run the family,” said Meghavath Sikinder, an auto driver in Hyderabad.
The pressure has only grown over the years, drivers say, with no major revision in auto meter fares for nearly 15 years despite rising inflation and increasing household expenses.
“Everything has become expensive — spare parts, maintenance, food, daily expenses — but fares are almost the same as before. Our earnings are not increasing the way our expenses are,” Sikinder added.
At the same time, the Transport department is working on a proposal to convert conventional autorickshaws into electric vehicles across CURE — within the Outer Ring Road. Nearly 1.09 lakh autos may be retrofitted with electric propulsion kits under the proposal. Officials, however, said discussions are still underway and no final decision has been taken.
Drivers say the proposal is welcome, but insist that any large-scale EV transition will fail without direct financial support and stronger charging infrastructure.
Telangana currently has a little over 1,060 EV charging stations, including nearly 600 in Hyderabad. Drivers say the present infrastructure is nowhere near enough for commercial vehicles that remain on the roads for long hours every day.
“Even if someone somehow buys an EV auto, charging itself becomes a problem. Drivers cannot afford to spend hours waiting at charging stations instead of earning,” Sikinder said.
