Autorickshaw services are to be halted in Mumbai Suburban as unions announced a strike for two days in October 2024 against the new welfare board's registration and yearly fees. According to the TOI report, auto unions announced to take out a massive rally along with autorickshaws to the Andheri RTO office on October 16 and to the Wadala RTO office on October 21.
Auto unions are protesting against the Rs 500 registration fee per driver and the Rs 300 annual membership fee set by the Dharamveer Anand Dighe Saheb Maharashtra Autorickshaw and Metered Taxi Chalak Welfare Board.
The unions from different suburbs submitted their petition to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, expressing their protest against the registration fees. In the petition, they question the CM why auto and taxi drivers are being asked to pay an amount to become members of the welfare board, especially after the huge losses they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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They also demanded that the state government change the name of the new welfare board after former auto-taxi union leader Sharad Rao. The auto unions have also put several demands, including providing a pension equal to 30% of average monthly earnings for those above 65 years of age, Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family of drivers who die in accidents, medical insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh for drivers and their family members, and Rs 10 lakh interest-free education loans for the children of auto-taxi drivers.
Union leader Shashank Rao said that the strike would also be against the present e-challan system, claiming that policemen click pictures when there is no fault of the driver and he has no proper parking space for autos. They demand waiver of all challans in the past till now.
The strike is expected to cause inconvenience to daily travellers, especially to office goers in the suburbs part of the city.