E-rickshaw drivers protest in Ganderbal against transport deptt's order

Ganderbal, Jan 20: The e-rickshaw drivers on Monday held a protest demonstration in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district against the Transport Department order of fixing fares at Rs 10 per kilometre per vehicle .

Dozens of E-Rickshaw drivers assembled and held a protest demonstration against the decision and urged the government to reconsider the decision.

“The decision by the Jammu and Kashmir Transport Department to fix e-rickshaw fares at Rs 10 per kilometre per vehicle or Rs 2.50 per kilometre per passenger has sparked discontent among rickshaw drivers and the fare has been fixed without any consideration,” Tariq Ahmed an e -tickshaw driver said . The drivers argue that the rates are inadequate to sustain their livelihoods, particularly amidst escalating inflation and rising operational costs.

“The fares fixed by the government are too low for us to sustain our livelihoods. We have families to feed, and the cost of vehicle maintenance, electricity charging, and spare parts is increasing every day. How are we supposed to survive,” said Manzoor Ahmad, another e-rickshaw driver said. The protesting drivers have described the fixed fare structure as “unfair and impractical.” They contend that the current rates fail to account for increasing expenses, including vehicle maintenance, battery replacement, and daily household needs. “With these rates, we can barely make ends meet,” said Bashir Ahmad, a 45-year-old e-rickshaw driver from Ganderbal. The drivers have called on the government to reconsider the fare structure and introduce rates that better reflect their financial struggles.