A federation of auto drivers’ unions will hold a candlelight rally towards Fort St George in Chennai on October 13, seeking a revision of auto fares and tighter regulation of app-based aggregators. The protest could affect movement around Egmore, Langs Garden Road and the Secretariat during the afternoon and evening.
The rally will begin near the old Chitra theatre on Langs Garden Road in Egmore at 3 pm and proceed towards the Secretariat, according to S Balasubramaniam, coordinator of the All Auto Workers’ Trade Union Federation.
The federation has organised the protest following the death of auto driver Mohammed Ibrahim. The unions said Ibrahim had ended his life because of the hardships faced by drivers. This account was made by the federation in the report and was not independently established in the supplied material.
Balasubramaniam said auto fares had not been revised since 2013, while fuel and spare-parts costs had increased. He also cited higher expenses related to insurance, permits and vehicle fitness certificates as factors affecting drivers’ earnings.
The federation said app-based aggregators, including Ola, Uber and Rapido, had taken a substantial share of the auto business. It also alleged that authorities had failed to curb overcharging by aggregators. These claims were made by the federation and were not accompanied by an official response in the supplied report.
The unions further linked falling incomes to public transport concessions and the growing use of two-wheeler taxis. According to Balasubramaniam, some drivers had been forced to leave the profession as operating costs rose and business became more competitive.
The federation is seeking several measures from the state government. These include a revision of auto fares, a ban or regulatory framework for two-wheeler taxis, action against alleged corruption at welfare offices and an end to what it described as harassment of drivers by officials. The group has also asked the government to regulate app-based aggregators.
Balasubramaniam said the federation had submitted petitions and held earlier protests over the demands but had been ignored by successive governments. The rally is therefore framed by the unions as both a demand for immediate fare relief and a wider challenge to the way Chennai’s intermediate public transport sector is regulated.
The report did not specify whether the state government or transport authorities had agreed to meet the federation, nor did it provide details of any traffic diversion plan for the rally. The next formal step reported by the federation is its march from Egmore towards Fort St George and the Secretariat.
