BANGALORE: Auto Rickshaw Driver’s Union (ARDU) has threatened to intensify their protest about the recent government order to issue 40,000 new permits if the decision is not withdrawn soon.The union will submit a memorandum with their demands to Shankarlingegowda, principal secretary, government of Karnataka, who will submit it to the representatives within the state government.Autorickshaws went off roads for twelve hours between 6 am and 6 pm on Friday and autorickshaw drivers assembled in front of Freedom Park to mark their protest. Addressing the drivers gathered, Meenakshi Sundaram, President, ARDU, spoke of a three fold plan to protest the order. He urged the auto drivers, starting July 23, to burn the government order as the first step. If the government does not respond to the strike and withdraw the order, then starting August 1, he encouraged them to block roads for a half hour each day at prominent traffic junctions. Lastly, he sought the support of auto drivers to organise a huge protest in the second week of August, depending on the response from the state government for the memorandum.“The order has to be withdrawn before August 15, 2011,” he said. Speaking to City Express, he said that the union does not have a problem with new permits as long as it is based on a proper study and survey of the city. “What the union recommends is that the government must find out if more autos are necessary in the city,” he said.According to Meenakshi Sundaram, the government’s argument for introducing new permits is that the city is now growing with 198 wards and hence there is a need for more vehicles.Additionally, new auto permits would serve as employment opportunities for the people. Further, he also said that according to the Government, more autos would mean more options for commuters. The ARDU President called these arguments ‘bogus’. He said a proper survey of the Central Business District needs to be conducted to analyse the commuter pattern. Further he also said that there are autos that are plying without permits. There are reports of mishandling of permits and illegal sale of permits as well.According to him, these are issues that need to be tackled before deciding to issue more permits.According to the ARDU, with more vehicles on the road, the travelling speed will come down and the autorickshaw drivers, will lose their income. They also believe that the auto driver is already pressed for money because he has to pay around Rs 150 a day as rent and close to Rs 1,50,000 to own an auto.
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