Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 5

Members of Zila Auto-Rickshaw Sangharsh Committee have submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ludhiana, requesting him to take steps for early redress of the problems being faced by them.

Om Parkash, president of the union, said the Ludhiana police recently launched a special drive to verify all auto-rickshaws by equipping them with a unique ID. They welcomed the move but the government had kept the condition of presenting some documents for obtaining the unique ID number. Also, the government should reduce the fee for obtaining the ID number sticker from Rs 150 to Rs 50.

He said challans of auto rickshaw drivers were pending in the courts and the RTO office due to the lockdown. The government should hold a Lok Adalat so that drivers could pay the challan fee and get their documents back. Also, the challan fee should be reduced.

The union members further demanded that a camp be organised to make licences of auto drivers. The fines imposed for incomplete documents should also be waived off and drivers should be given a chance to get the documents completed. They had already suffered due to a hike in fuel and gas prices and some were not even in the condition to pay loan installments.

The auto-rickshaw drivers rued that their counterpartes in Delhi were given a relief of Rs 5,000 twice but no such relief had been provided in Punjab.