Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw meets Delhi workers, announces parking fee reductions

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, accompanied by Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, visited New Delhi Railway Station on Tuesday to engage with coolies and auto-cab drivers> He addressed their concerns in a meeting focused on demands from the Delhi Divisional Coolie Union and the Delhi Auto Drivers Association.

During the interaction, a memorandum outlining six demands from the coolie union and five from the auto drivers was presented to the minister. One of the major problems raised by auto drivers was the steep parking charges for black-and-yellow taxis and auto-rickshaws, which they claimed were disproportionately high.

In response, Vaishnaw announced immediate reductions in the parking fees. "The parking charges for auto-rickshaws will be reduced from Rs 708 to Rs 200 and for black-and-yellow taxis from Rs 1180 to Rs 400. This will take effect immediately," he said.

The announcement was welcomed by the auto drivers. Delhi Auto Drivers Association General Secretary Rajendra Soni expressed gratitude for the prompt action.

Beyond parking fees, auto drivers raised other issues, including the entry fees imposed by private contractors on vehicles entering railway premises, a lack of rest shelters and incidents of harassment by the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Vaishnaw assured the drivers these matters would also be addressed, stating the railway administration would work towards providing rest shelters to protect drivers from extreme weather and ensure they were reassigned to their original stands.

The coolie union also submitted a list of demands, including the provision of railway passes for coolies’ children, access to healthcare at railway hospitals, rest shelters, timely distribution of uniforms and life insurance for coolies who die while on duty. Vaishnaw responded by committing to address these concerns promptly, recognising the crucial role coolies play in the railway system. He further promised to explore the possibility of offering a life insurance cover of Rs 15-20 lakh for coolies in the event of death while on duty.

With immediate action on the parking fee problem and promises to resolve additional concerns, the meeting concluded on a positive note, with both coolies and auto drivers optimistic about the swift implementation of the Railway Ministry’s commitments.