Auto Strike Saga !!

I often use to get mingled up with the auto and taxi drivers whenever travelling. And in the process i end my journey paying the meter bill in exchange of some very vital informations.

Last night there was a strike of auto and taxi drivers. I was in Powai for some work and was searching for some mean to commute to airoli. I saw an auto driver standing wid his bread winning vehicle. I was sure that he is going to charge me exorbitantly, in case if he is interested to start the engine, as during strikes its risky to take ur vehicle on road.But he was an audacious man, trying to get full advantage of the strike. As expected he quoted an exorbitant price of Rs.300 which in normal coarse might charge Rs.60-70. I am very gud at negotiations and so after hefty discussions finally i won n wesettled at Rs.290.

We started our journey and he told me to keep my bag at the backyard, and if we get cought by the union people, who were leading the strike, he'll tell them that i am his relative and since the meter is up, he'll prove that he is not doing ne business. Bravo !!

Government passed a rule stating that any auto n taxi which is older than 8 years will b replaced by new bajaj autos and new taxis(indica etc. not new premier padmini as the company's doors had been locked in year 2000). The reason i m still unable to understand. Acc to counterview of that auto driver, its all the game plan of Bajaj and Gov. As new autorickaws are kept in the showrooms and der are no purchasers so bajaj invoked the gov for passing this rule on the platform of pollution control. This was the only view of that driver with which i am not agreeing. He stated the absolute trouble of these people who went on strike. The mathematical calculation goes like this :-Showroom price of Bajaj Auto is Rs.2,10,000 (Tata Nano costs Rs. 1,50,000). Now these people have to pay 80,000 down payment and rest goes on EMI of Rs. 4500. So they are bound to pay 4500 for next many years. They get the permit for Rs.80000 for 3 years (if we calculate on the monthly basis they are paying Rs.2000 per month for the permit). Now they are bound to sell this auto and taxi (body will be sold out in weight basis and parts will be sold out individually through which they'll beable to make around Rs.20000). Now on an average every drivers have an outstanding of nearly 1 lakh on their old vehicles.Now the problem persists here. Untill n unless they are not going to pay this amount in full, their old permit will not getcancelled and will not get the permit for their new vehicles. The issue is that outstanding Rs.1,00,000 because untill and unless they will pay this amount, they might somehow purchase new vehicle but will in no case get the permit as an individual can'tget permit for two vehicles.

From where will these poor people going to bring this behemoth amount? Do government going to provide any subsidy?

----The Shekhar
20th October - 2008