Auto unions cry foul, halt services across Ahmedabad over police crackdown

Ahmedabad, July 22 A standoff between auto rickshaw drivers and the Ahmedabad Police escalated into a full-scale strike, as rickshaw unions launched an indefinite protest.

Accusing the police of undue harassment and wrongful penalisation, the auto unions have brought autos off the roads since Monday midnight, causing massive inconvenience to daily commuters across the city.

The strike led to traffic congestion at several key junctions, with frustrated commuters left stranded in the absence of last-mile transport options.

Eyewitnesses reported that some striking drivers were forcibly stopping rickshaws carrying passengers and urging fellow drivers to join the protest.

According to leaders of auto unions, the trigger for the strike was a series of alleged arbitrary actions by police officers, including wrongful seizure of vehicles and fines under the pretext of enforcing the Motor Vehicles Act.

They submitted a formal memorandum to the Police Commissioner, alleging that the enforcement is being used as a tool to meet "targets" rather than to ensure road safety.

"The state government recognises auto-rickshaws as a legitimate means of livelihood, yet our members are being targeted and harassed without cause," they stated.

They also alleged that apart from traffic police, general law enforcement personnel were intervening in traffic regulation, which they claim is beyond their jurisdiction.

The leaders of the auto unions further accused some police officials of taking bribes from other commercial vehicle operators such as tractors, dumpers, and luxury cabs, while unfairly singling out auto drivers for punitive action.

Rickshaw drivers have warned that if police action is not immediately curbed, the protest could intensify, bringing public transport in Ahmedabad to a near-complete standstill.

The city administration has yet to issue a formal response, even as commuters continue to face disruptions amid rising tensions on the ground.

Ahmedabad's streets are home to an estimated 170,000 auto-rickshaws as of 2021, up from just around 40,000 in 2011, showing more than fourfold growth over a decade. These vehicles represent roughly 4 per cent of all registered vehicles in the city, out of nearly 4 million total vehicles by 2022.

Auto-rickshaws remain a vital mode of last-mile connectivity, particularly in areas beyond Bus Rapid Transit System and metro coverage.

A policy implemented on January 1, 2025, mandates the use of functional fare meters in all autos.

Despite this rule, over 28,000 drivers were fined, and enforcement led to Rs1.56 crore in penalties collected by traffic police.

Meanwhile, a driving safety initiative includes the rollout of QR codes on autos, intended to bring more transparency and passenger protection.

These codes display driver information and are part of the Nirbhaya safety push, though the move has faced resistance from driver unions over privacy concerns.

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