Auto, taxi drivers worried over restrictions on no. of passengers

The new restrictions have come at a time when the autorickshaw drivers are facing heat over the increase in the fuel price and a limited number of passengers.

“The livelihood of the autorickshaw drivers were severely hit due to the lockdown last year. We have not yet recovered from last year’s impact when the State government has come out with new restrictions allowing only two persons to travel at a time in one autorickshaw,” Tamil Nadu Auto Thozhilalar Sammelanam working president S Balasubramaniam said.

Pointing out that buses were allowed to carry passengers up to its seating capacity and only banned standing travel, he said the government should have allowed auto rickshaws to carry three passengers as per its seating capacity. “What if a mother wants to travel with her two children? Should I accept only the mother and one child and ask her to leave her second child? Or should I accept the two children and leave the mother?” he asked.

T Gangadharan, an autorickshaw driver at Anna Nagar said the majority of auto drivers did not get any financial support announced by the government for the members of the welfare board. “Several financial institutions, including banks have started seizing autorickshaws for non-payment of dues. We are finding it difficult to meet our ends with an increase in the prices of fuel and cost of essentials while our daily earning has come down by half compared to pre-COVID,” he said.

K Santhanam, a cab driver said restrictions on the number of passengers should not be imposed on cabs. “We get very few rides in a day as the public have already restricted their travel. People are no longer going to theatres or malls. Such being the scenario, imposing of new restrictions will further affect our livelihood,” he said.