Protest government decision to install GPS
Protest government decision to install GPS
Lakhs of commuters in Delhi had a harrowing time on Thursday as a section of auto drivers did not ply their autos protesting Delhi government's order to install Global Positioning System (GPS) in their autos. 
Commutersu00a0 on their way to the station
On Wednesday, one of the auto rickshaw unions suddenly announced that autos affiliated to them would not ply auto rickshaws if the government doesn't foot the bill for installing GPS. However, the unions' internal strife led to a section of autos adhering to the decision while majority of the autos plied in the city on Thursday.u00a0
Nearly 20,000 autos in parts of south and east Delhi did not ply while no major problem was reported in other areas. The city has nearly 55 thousand autos.u00a0
The auto lane at New Delhi railway station wears a deserted look after a
strike was called by auto drivers union in New Delhi on Thursday
u00a0"We do not earn so much that we can pay fifteen thousand to twenty five thousand every year for GPS. Government needs to foot this bill," say auto unions. While talks are on for the past three days with the transport department, a section of unions on Wednesday announced to go on strike from Thursday morning.
"We are in talks with the transport department for the past three days. We did not call any strike. It was a small section of auto unions in the outskirts," said Rajender Soni, leader of Delhi Tipahiya Chalak Sangathan, another auto union.
The government had earlier announced that auto rickshaws will be fitted with GPS for the safety of commuters as there have been a number of incidents of molestation, overcharging and route deviations that auto drivers routinely resort to.
Though auto unions are claiming that they are not against installing GPS, but they cannot afford the cost of the instrument. The government will collect Rs 82 crore annually from this which they plan to spend on driver's insurance and claims in case of accidents.
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