Odd-even formula: Auto, e-rickshaw drivers’ protest outside MLA’s office; strike continues

The auto and e-rickshaw drivers’ union continued their strike for the third day on Wednesday. The drivers staged a dharna under the elevated highway in front of the Mini-Secretariat. They also held a protest march from the dharna stage to the office of MLA Pramod Vij on NH-44 and staged a dharna for around two hours there.

However, the Haryana Roadways has also claimed to have increased the number of city bus service to facilitate the passengers while some autos and e-rickshaws were also seen roaming on roads on Wednesday.

Due to the ongoing strike of the auto and e-rickshaw drivers, people are facinge a lot of problems daily. The drivers’ strike has also hit the common people’s pocket as the auto and e-rickshaw drivers who were not included in the strike were demanding more than the double fare from the passengers.

A delegation of the protesting drivers also held a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner Dr Virender Kumar Dahiya at his office on Wednesday evening.

To deal with the problem of traffic jams on the main roads of the city, the district administration had implemented the odd-even formula for one week from September 1.

After a successful week-long trial of the odd-even vehicle formula, the district administration has decided to continue the odd-even system in the city.

According to the traffic police, even as 4,300 e-rickshaws and 3,400 three-wheelers were registered, a higher number of these vehicles were plying on the city roads.

On Wednesday, the auto and e-rickshaw drivers gathered at the dharna spot under the banner of Auto-e-rickshaw Drivers’ Union and a staged dharna there and raised slogans against the BJP-led state government. As per the decided schedule, they organised a protest programme at MLA Pramod Vij’s office on NH-44.

In the evening, a delegation of five members of the drivers’ union— Naresh Dahar, district president, Nafees Khan, pattron; Vinod Sewah, general secretary; Kamal Sharma, treasurer and Sachin Babarpur, joint secretary met the DC in support of their demands along with DSP (Traffic) Suresh Saini.

Naresh Dahar, district president, said that after holding a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, the district committee of the Auto-e-rickshaw Driver considers that the Odd-Even system has been ended. However, DSP Traffic said that no such decision on the Odd-Even policy has been taken so far.

Meanwhile, DC Dr Virender Kumar Dahiya said, "I have directed the DSP Traffic to listen to their issues seriously, check their valid licenses as no one would be allowed to run rickshaws without valid documents in the city."

Suresh Saini, DSP Headquarter said, "Following the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, the grievance and demands of the protesting auto-e-rickshaw drivers have been noted down and will be produced before the higher authorities."