Auto-rickshaw and cab drivers in the city are facing a severe financial crisis as the lockdown has left them without a source of livelihood for almost a month now.
The drivers are wondering how they are going to save enough money to pay next month’s rent as they have little left even to tide over the present month.
“We sometimes earn up to ₹15,000 per month and sometimes as little as ₹7,000 driving vehicles. This is our only source of income. The lockdown has changed our life for the worse and we don’t know what to do now,” said P. Raju, an auto-rickshaw driver from Arilova.
A few drivers also alleged that many of them did not even receive ration and financial help of ₹1,000. Several drivers said that police are booking cases and invoking e-challans though they are venturing out by taking citizens in case of emergencies.
There are nearly 48,000 auto-rickshaw drivers in the district including 27,500 from urban limits. Apart from them, nearly 2,200 drivers of cabs, and 2,300 drivers of passenger vans and jeeps earn their livelihood driving the public transport vehicles. All of them are now facing an unprecedented financial crisis.
Protest staged
General Secretary of A.P. Auto-rickshaws & Motor Transport Workers Union G. Vamana Murthy demanded that the State Government pay at least ₹10,000 a month to the drivers for three months as public transport has been completely banned due to the lockdown.
He also appealed to the government to ensure that finance companies do not force the drivers to pay instalments of their vehicle loans. He alleged that it has come to his notice that a few companies are asking auto-rickshaw drivers and cab/taxi drivers to pay this month’s instalment despite the government directing banks to offer a three-month moratorium on existing loans.
