Autorickshaw drivers worry about EMIs as passengers reduce

Aurangabad, March 17:

Though there are

relaxations in the lockdown, Covid-19 has significantly hit the business

of auto drivers. With an increasing number of patients, people are

avoiding travelling by autos stating the safety against the virus. This

has greatly reduced their daily earnings and many are also not able to

pay the bank loans leading to further financial distress.

Auto-rickshaw

driver Manoj Dighe who recently bought an autorickshaw loaned from a

private finance bank said, passengers, have greatly reduced due to

corona. Time is mostly spent waiting for customers. Further, the rising

prices of fuel have impacted our profit margin. The income is not even

enough to sustain a family. I do not know how I will pay an EMI of Rs

4,000 every month. Many autorickshaw drivers in the city today are

forced to give up their job and turn towards other jobs like selling

vegetables, labour and do other pity jobs. Another autorickshaw driver

Syed Junaid expressed, "The financial position currently is risky. We

need strong backing from the government. Many autorickshaw drivers have

become unemployed. We at a place wait for almost 2-3 hours but return

empty." Currently, the city has 31,038 auto-rickshaws registered with

the regional transport office, including 9,972 vehicles using LPG as

fuel. While a section of the drivers owns their autorickshaws, the

others drive the autorickshaw and pay the owner regularly. Some also

have come to the city after selling their land only to buy the vehicle.

Some even work as there is no work in their fields.