Kerala - Kochi   

Auto, taxi strike affects city life

— Photo: H. Vibhu

Brisk business: As autorickshaws and taxis went off the road on Wednesday, many motorbike riders were seen offering their services for a fee in the city.

KOCHI: Thousands of tourists and travellers were left stranded at railway and bus stations in the city on Wednesday as autorickshaw and taxi workers launched an indefinite strike demanding higher fares in keeping with the rising fuel charges.

The entire lot of autorickshaws and taxis stayed off the road leaving tourists and other passengers in the city at the mercy of the public transport system.

Some foreign tourists were seen on MG Road soliciting help from motorbike riders, who offered their services for a price.

The indefinite strike has thrown a spanner in the works of the hospitality industry, which on Wednesday, called for introduction of indexed change in taxi charges. The Association of Approved and Classified Hotels of Kerala expressed its fears that the strike would badly hit the tourism business as it was in its peak season now.

Convenor of Ernakulam District Motor Thozhilali Coordination Committee K. R. Saju said that the strike was total on Wednesday, the first day of the indefinite strike, being supported by all the major trade unions.

The autorickshaw workers have demanded that minimum fare be raised to Rs.15 and taxi workers have demanded a doubling of the minimum fair from Rs.50 to Rs.100.

The spokesman for Kerala Travel Operators' Association Dileep Kumar said that around 80 taxi operators in Ernakulam joined the strike on Wednesday, bringing taxi services to a halt here.

Zonal Secretary of BMS Anil Kumar K. S. said that the strike was total and that it was a legitimate demand raised by the auto and taxi workers.

Spokespersons for the striking workers said that the strike was launched because a negotiation with the government on revised rates for autos and taxis three days ago failed.

Private Motor Thozhilali Union, AITUC, blamed the “intransigence” and “a lack of knowledge about the transport sector” of the government as a reason for the strike.

State Secretary of the Union Joy Joseph warned in a statement here that the strike would be total in the coming days too. He also appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene.

The statement from the Association of Approved and Classified Hotels of Kerala said: “Though the hike in petroleum prices may be beyond the control of the government, it can take steps to redress the grievances of the taxi operators.”

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