As lockdown eases, it’s survival of the fittest for auto drivers, rickshaw-pullers

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 21

Life for these people was already hard. The difficulty level of sustaining a livelihood further cranked up when coronavirus came in like a wreaking ball and left them on the edge. The circumstances had never been more dire. Now, as the lockdown has been eased a bit the autorickshaw drivers and rickshaw-pullers, who are among the self-employed section to have suffered dearly, are still reeling from the losses as earning has curtailed upon resumption of activities.

The economic concept of demand and supply is being effectively implied leaving them gasping for customers. The educational institutions are closed, and students were the major source of their daily bread. Apart from this, buses of public transport BRTS is also being plied on roads further chipping away the customers.

But a close look would reveal that at the heart of theproblem lies the changed behaviour pattern of passengers. Either they prefer their own vehicles or have cut down on unnecessary travels. So, there are limited customers out there who are free to choose the mode of transport that appeals them. And sharing an auto with others, well, would be at the bottom of their list – the fear of catching the virus is deep rooted. While, rickshaws were already phasing out even before the pandemic hit. “I never seen such a long dry season while driving autos on the city roads for the past 25 years. All educational institutes are closed and has taken away a big chunk of our passengers,” points out Avtar Singh, a 40-year-old three-wheeler driver.

Moreover, the passengers consist of mainly maids working in houses, workers and others who insist on paying a fare at Rs 10 per seat, which is not viable as an auto can not allow more than three passengers to sit. Then there those paying Rs 20 per seat but are adamant to maintain complete social distance in the auto, painting a picture of division in the society.

Rajbir Singh, 45, who has been pulling rickshaw for the past 20 years, says: “Since majority of migrants left for their native places their number drastically came down in pedalling rickshaws. Similarly, peers living in nearby villages of the town did not join rickshaw-pulling this time as they found ample work in fields.”

Thus, it is natural to see auto drivers and rickshaw pullers swarming around any prospective customer — perhaps their bread and butter.

Speaking out

High fuel cost made the operational cost of diesel-run autos go up as they were not allowed to board more than three passengers during a ride. All passengers are not ready to pay more. Avtar Singh

Restrictions changed priorities of people. They remain suspectful of people and objects in their surroundings. They argue over small things without taking care of the needs of rickshaw pullers. Rajbir Singh

I daily commute in an auto from my house in the Islamabad area to my workplace in the Hall Gate area. Auto drivers are now asking for Rs30/ride as they claim that they can no longer meet expenses. Rajinder Kumar

I availed the rickshaw ride on this Monday and found the rikshaw-puller asking for mediocre rates. Earlier, they used to ask for Rs50 for even a small ride prompting them to haggle. Pawan Sharma