Bangaloreans to face trouble on Monday, Autos to go on strike

Bangalore, Jan 6: Bangaloreans will be in trouble as

rickshaw drivers decided to go on

on Monday, Jan 6. Many people in the Garden City travel through autos. According to sources, it would be a 24-hour strike from Sunday mid-night to Monday mid-night.

The auto drivers have been protesting against price hike of LPG gas. Since Jan 1, the price of auto LPG has been hiked twice. On Jan 1, the price was increased from Rs 54.40 per litre to Rs 65.53 per litre. On Jan 4, it was hiked again to Rs 65.57 per litre.

BV Raghavendra, general secretary of CITU-affiliated Auto Union was quoted as saying, "We have decided to stay off the road due to a steep increase in auto LPG price. Most autos in the city ply on LPG. We hope the strike will pressurise the government to withdraw the LPG price hike."

We have decided to stay off the road due to a steep increase in auto LPG price

One auto driver has been quoted as saying, "Recently, minimum auto fare was increased to Rs 25 when auto LPG price was Rs 54.40 per litre. The fare hike has already made many customers think twice before boarding an auto. If we demand another fare hike in the light of the rise in auto LPG price, we may end up with hardly any customers."

Earlier on Wednesday, Jan 1 many auto drivers in the IT hub had gone a flash strike protesting against the recent LPG price hike. Traffic police used private taxis and police vehicles to ferry stranded passengers.

Along with 1.1 lakh autos in Bangalore, 20,000 auto drivers in Mysore too decided to go for a 24-hour strike on Monday.Somashekhar, president, Bangalore Auto Drivers Union, said, "According to an agreement reached between auto unions and government, next fare revision will be only when gas and oil rates cross Rs 70. After Wednesday's revision, the price will be around Rs 78."

"But the prices are expected to ease over the next one month and we will not pressure the transport department to revise fares," he added.

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