India : Govt. gives in; auto, taxi strike called off
Another strike possible if authorities ‘fail to keep promise’
Unions representing auto and taxi drivers called off their indefinite strike on the third day here on Thursday after the Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) government, according to union representatives, acquiesced to their “most significant” demands.
While union representatives said they had been invited to the Delhi Secretariat for negotiations with the government, passers-by and travellers were seen visibly distressed as they struggled to get to their destinations from major transit points such as the New Delhi railway station.
While many commuters waited along the road for hours, others sought out public and private bus services, apart from turning to the Delhi Metro. According to security staff at the New Delhi metro station, the station was full even at non-peak hours.
“We have decided to call off the strike after the government assured us that it would, among other significant promises, come out with a stringent policy to regulate the operation of app-based cab services in the city within a month,” said Rajender Soni, whose RSS-backed unions — Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union and Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh — were among the main leaders of the strike.
Mr. Soni added that another strike was possible if the government “failed to keep its promise yet again”. For the moment, he said, they were satisfied with the assurances.
Meanwhile, according to a senior government official, it had been decided that vehicles registered in other States offering their services to commuters in the Capital would no longer be allowed to do so. If they do, they would be impounded or be slapped with a fine.
In addition, the official said, taxis registered under the DL1RT series would be required to ply by meter and commercial licences. Also, PSV badges have been made mandatory for their drivers.
“It has also been decided that vehicles from other States will not be allowed to ferry passengers outside the Capital, failing which they will face penal action,” the official added.