Autos will be off the road on Nov 11

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 11, 2015: As per reports, Autorickshaw operators in Mangaluru have decided to resort to a 24-hour strike from Tuesday midnight to press for their demand of upward revision of fares as they claimed that the existing fares were insufficient to meet the increasing cost of life.

A few months ago, the Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority reduced the minimum fare from Rs. 25 to Rs. 23 (for 1.5 km) and the per km fare from Rs. 14 to Rs. 13 following steep reduction in the cost of fuel. Since then, autorickshaw operators were unhappy and had been claiming that Dakshina Kannada has been the lone district where the fares were reduced.

A few days ago, the operators again submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner and the RTA Chairman demanding fare revision. Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim told The Hindu that a meeting of the RTA has to be convened to consider the demand.

Meanwhile, Federation of Karnataka Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Union, has extended its support to the strike. Federation’s Mangaluru unit president Mohammed Ansar, in a release here, said that the downward fare revision has severely affected the earnings of operators. Mr. Ansar said that the demand for Rs. 25 minimum fare and Rs. 14 per km fare is justified in view of the escalating cost of all essential commodities.