The Hindu : New Delhi News : Yusuf prevents auto strike

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Friday, Jan 28, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Yusuf prevents auto strike

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 27. Some glib talking and assurances issued by the Delhi Transport Minister, Haroon Yusuf, today prevented a proposed auto-rickshaw strike called by various auto unions on Friday to press for their charter of demands which include softening of the current enforcement drive by the Transport Department.

In a meeting with representatives of various auto unions, Mr Yusuf made it amply clear that while he was in favour of acceding to the genuine demands pertaining to various problems, he would not relent to pressure tactics aimed as derailing the enforcement drive undertaken by the Transport Department to ensure plying of vehicles on the basis of meters.

Following the meeting, the Transport Minister said, "I assured them that I would look into their demands pertaining to problems with badges and the like and try and sort them out the way I shifted the auto-rickshaw related work from Burari to Anand Vihar following charges of corrupt practices at the former.''

Mr Yusuf said the Delhi Government was open to responding to the justified demands of the auto-rickshaw drivers and owners. But, he said, while some issues like those pertaining to sale in black of the badges could also be sorted out, there would be no succumbing to pressure on the drive which is presently underway to make the drivers run their vehicles as per the laid norms so that the passengers are not cheated.

As the Minister called in the Transport Commissioner, Rajiv Talwar, and forwarded to him the memorandum submitted by the unions and then told the union representatives that he would again meet them on Tuesday after considering all the issues, the unions decided to defer the agitation for the time being.

The deputy chairman of Bharatiya Tipahiya Chalak Sangh, Jitender Waghel, who attended the meeting, said the unions opposed the proposed increase in road tax and the passing tax which is charged after a vehicles has been examined for colour coding and emission norms. Also, he said, the unions demanded a rollback of the fitness charge which had been increased by 200 per cent from Rs 600 to Rs 1,200.

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