Alok Mishra
Patna: Patanites on February 3 had a tough time in reaching their destinations as autos numbering over 35,000 went off the roads for the whole day in the city. The auto-drivers were protesting hike in fitness charge by the Transport department. Autos engaged in emergency services and in schools were exempted from the strike.
Most of the people, who do not have their own mode of transport, remained stuck at many places as the City Ride buses were full to their capacity. Some were seen enjoying tonga ride, which was charging exorbitant rates.
The drivers of `Hawa Hawai’ autos were seen busy today as most of them were packed with passengers. Kumar Sanjay, an auto driver of Hawa Hawai, said that generally very few people board his auto as his vehicle can’t run like patrol driven autos. “ But today, I had to make many rounds from Boring Road to Polytechnic Mor as a large number of people were waiting there to reach their destinations,” he said.
“I had to reach Patna Collectorate for some necessary work and I could not find an auto near Pani Tanki Mor,” said Shashi Kumar Singh, adding “ for the first time I enjoyed riding a Hawa Hawai though I reached late at the office where I had to go.”
It may be mentioned here that on February 2, several auto unions had made an appeal to the auto-drivers not to ply their vehicles on different routes including Patna Station roundabout to Gandhi Maidan, Patna Station roundabout to Boring Road, Gandhi Maidan to Patna City, Phulwarisharif, Danapur, Mithapur and Bypass roads.