Coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with citizen’s job, business and bank balance. Majority of people do not have money and facing insurmountable problems by the day.
@NarendraJourno1
Kalyan: Commuters in this bustling mega city of Thane district are losing their hard earned money to the errant auto rickshaw drivers who are fleecing them taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, autorickshaw drivers would charge Rs 40 fare per passenger from Kalyan station to Bhiwandi bus depot. But now, errant auto rickshaw drivers are now charging anywhere between Rs 80 to Rs 100 per passenger depending on their mood.
Owing to coronavirus disease, people are losing their jobs and the pandemic has played havoc with businesses and bank balances. With each passing day the majority of people are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Soni Gupta, 38, a resident of Shantinagar area in Ulhasnagar said, “I was shocked to hear the fare of Rs 100 for Kalyan to Bhiwandi. I insisted the auto driver accept a fare of Rs 50 but he denied and the driver finalised the fare of Rs 80”.
Gupta resides with her husband and two children at Ulhasnagar. I run a money transfer and mobile recharge shop. The source of income has now declined as migrant labourers went back to their home towns. I had to go to Bhiwandi as I had a prior fixed appointment with the doctor. Hence, I had to pay Rs 80 as fare, she added.
Prakash Penkar, union leader of Rickshaw Taxi Mahasangh Konkan Vibhag said, “We have received several complaints of passenger about the extra fare being taken by drivers. Following which we immediately informed the RTO department about it and demanded strict action would be taken against them”.
“Instead of fare of Rs 40 from Kalyan station to Bhiwandi bus depot, they charge anywhere between Rs 45 to Rs 50. But now I am hearing that they are charging anywhere between Rs 80 to Rs 100 from the passengers. A negative image of an auto driver is created in the mind of passengers, he further said.
An auto-rickshaw driver said on condition of anonymity that due to Coronavirus, the social distancing norms and guidelines imposed by the state government for safety purposes, only two passengers including the driver. “How can we charge a fare from a passenger based on old fare tariffs? How will we pay the loan after charging old fare rates? There can be only two passengers seated in an auto. How will we bear the family expenses with these fares?” he asked.-By Narendra Gupta
