Auto unions stage protest against e-bike permits outside Andheri RTO office in Mumbai

A signature campaign will be held on Saturday demanding the cancellation of the permits for e-bike taxi/bike pooling service in Maharashtra.

Auto drivers in Maharashtra on Wednesday staged a protest across RTO offices against the permits given by the Maharashtra state government to e-bike taxis/bike pooling. They demanded that the permissions given to e-bikes be cancelled immediately.

In Mumbai, a protest was held in front of the Andheri RTO office. The agitation was held outside all the RTO offices in state through the affiliated organisations of the Autorickshaw Drivers' Owners' Association, Joint Action Committee Maharashtra, and a statement was given to the government regarding the issue.

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"The Maharashtra State Government has decided to allow e-bike taxis in the name of providing self-employment opportunities to unemployed youth. Our organisation opposed the licences before the state-appointed committee to decide on bringing e-bike taxis, and the reasons for it were presented before the panel members. The Maharashtra Government should have discussed this with our organisation before allowing the e-bike taxi/bike pooling service. However, the government took a unilateral decision and allowed e-bike taxi/bike pooling. If e-bike taxis/bike pooling starts, the livelihood of 1.5 million autorickshaw drivers in Maharashtra will be at risk," said Shashank Sharad Rao of the Auto Rickshaw Malak Chalak Sanghatana.

"Today, on May 21, demonstrations were held in front of the RTO offices in cities and rural areas of Mumbai, Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh in Maharashtra by all affiliated organisations of the Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Association Joint Action Committee Maharashtra demanding immediate cancellation of the permission given by the Maharashtra State Government to the e-bike taxi/bike pooling service and a representation was submitted to the government," he added.

According to Rao, it was decided to conduct a signature campaign among all autorickshaw drivers from Saturday to cancel the permission given by the government to the e-bike taxi/bike pooling service in Maharashtra. "The signed statement of all autorickshaw drivers will be submitted to the government by June 15. If the state government does not take a positive decision regarding the above demand by June 25, then further direction on the agitation will be decided," he added.