Mangaluru, November 11: Demanding the revision in auto rickshaw fares, the Dakshina Kannada Auto Rickshaw drivers association protested in front of the Deputy Commissioners office here on Wednesday.
The protesters demanded that the auto rickshaw minimum fares have to be increased to Rs 25 and fare of Rs 14 has to be fixed per kilometre.
Addressing the protest, Sunil Kumar Bajal said, we are not demanding 40-50 rupees, but we are only demanding for minimum fare to be fixed for Rs 25. But the district administration is neglecting our demands. Hence the protest was inevitable, he said.
In the past when the petrol prices had fallen, the minimum fares of auto rickshaw were reduced to Rs 23. The deputy commissioner had then assured that if the oil prices hike in future, the auto fares would be increased. Now, though the oil prices have increased many times no measures were taken to hike the auto fares. By doing this, the DC has forgotten the assurances made by him, he said.
The auto rickshaw drivers have no other means of income. Even the government has not taken interest to provide any benefits to the auto rickshaw drivers. But by reducing the minimum auto rickshaw fares, it is troubling the poor auto drivers, said Sunil.
