Jamshedpur, Aug. 4 : Commuters were tough time as auto-rickshaw drivers went on a� strike for four hours from 11 am protesting checking drive by the traffic police. About 20,000 auto drivers� stayed away from the road when the traffic police started a checking drive to ensure that� auto-rickshaw operators� carry valid documents.
As the drive for papers checking was carried out in localities like Bistupur, Sakchi, Golmuri, Jugsalai and Mango, the auto-drivers stopped plying on those routes.� The� auto-rickshaws resumed plying� after the traffic police got through the drive by 3 pm only.
An official of the Jamshedpur Auto-rickshaws Drivers’ Association said they had decided to given a call for partial strike in view of the ongoing papers checking drive by the traffic police.
Deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Vivekanand Thakur confirmed that they have started a paper-checking drive against the auto-rickshaw operators since Thursday.
In a bid to tighten noose of the erring autorickshaws operating without city permits, the Traffic Police gas embarked on a drive across the city. The decision to conduct regular inspection comes in due to spurt in cases of mishaps in the city.
However the auto drivers in the city have joined hands to protest the move. The drivers under the banner of Jamshedpur Shikshit Berojgaar staged demonstration and alleged that the drivers are being harassed. They demanded that those auto drivers own a permit should not be caught at the pretext of checking drive. There are around 25,000 autos which are plying on various routes in city roads at the moment.
Secretary of the sangh Shyam Kinkar Jha has raised a voice of resent against the traffic police drive. �If the police continue with their drive we would be forced to call indefinite strike of all the auto operators in the city,� said Jha.
