Riyaz Bhat
SRINAGAR
Scores auto-rickshaw drivers on Saturday staged a protest demonstration in Lal Chowk against an order by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar for installing regulated meters in auto-rickshaws plying in Srinagar city.
“Meter rates for the first Kilometre from the initial location must be increased to from Rs 17 to Rs 30 as we go drive on bad roads and the expenses are more than what concerned authorities have decided earlier,” said a protesting auto driver Zahoor Ahmad.
“We are in a position to hire passengers for the decided rate as the rate for the CNG in Delhi is Rs25/litre and here is no CNG filling pump and we get a petrol litre for around Rs 65, so government can’t compare us with the Delhi auto-rickshaw drivers,” said another protestor Parvaiz Ahmad,
Moreover, Parvaiz said, “traffic authorities are harassing us to bring three wheeler licenses which an RTO officer denied by saying that there is no procedure to give trail for three wheeler licenses.”
