Chennai auto-rickshaw drivers will hold a rally to the state Secretariat on the 27th of the month, seeking measures to protect their livelihoods from rising costs, app-based ride-hailing competition and what they describe as prolonged failure to revise meter fares. The procession will begin at 10 am from Rajarathinam Stadium and proceed towards Fort, where the Secretariat is located.
The protest has been announced by the Hindu Auto Workers Front Association. According to the association, auto drivers are facing sustained pressure from the operations of Uber and Ola, along with the arrival of Rapido in the market. It also listed the impact of rising prices and free bus services among the concerns affecting the earnings of auto-rickshaw drivers.
The association said auto meter fares have not been increased for the past 14 years. It described the continued absence of a revision as a serious hardship for drivers, who depend on daily trips for their income. The announcement did not specify the current fare structure or propose a revised rate, but identified fare stagnation as one of the central issues behind the rally.
The planned demonstration places Chennai’s auto-rickshaw sector within a wider urban transport dispute involving traditional street-based services, app-mediated bookings and public bus operations. The association has demanded an immediate ban on Uber, Ola and Rapido services, arguing that competition from these platforms is affecting the livelihood of auto drivers. These are demands made by the organising body and do not represent a government decision or an announced regulatory measure.
The association has also sought a government subsidy of Rs 15,000 to renew the fitness certificate, or FC, required for auto-rickshaws. The demand links the cost of regulatory compliance to the economic pressures faced by drivers. The announcement, however, did not provide details of the number of drivers seeking the subsidy, the estimated government expenditure or the existing process for obtaining FC renewal.
The proposed route from Rajarathinam Stadium to Fort could bring the demonstration into central Chennai’s administrative and transport zone. The source announcement did not provide details about the expected number of participants, police permissions, traffic diversions or any response from the state government and transport authorities.
For passengers, auto-rickshaws remain part of Chennai’s everyday mobility network, particularly for short-distance journeys and connections to other modes of transport. The association’s demands therefore concern not only driver earnings but also the regulatory framework governing fares, vehicle certification and the coexistence of app-based services with conventional auto operations. The next stated milestone is the rally at 10 am on the 27th, beginning at Rajarathinam Stadium and moving towards Fort.
