Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (MS)
Kundapur, Apr 12: “Unauthorized buildings are built encroaching government roads. You provide approval for them. But you harass autorickshaw stand. We will show the unauthorized buildings. Will you get them demolished?” questioned Shankar Ankadakatte, founder president of Bharatiya Autorickshaw Mazdoor association of the city.
Shankar was speaking at the protest meeting that was held under the leadership of Kundapur taluk autorickshaw and goods vehicles organizations demanding proper infrastructure facility including parking lots.
Ankadakatte further said, “There is not a single authorised parking space for autorickshaw and goods vehicles under town municipality limits. If the stand of town municipality continues in the same fashion, we will have to protest fiercely in order to ask our rights. People representatives should not neglect auto drivers. In certain booths auto drivers are the deciding factor. They will give suitable answer in coming elections.”
Laxman Shetty, President of Autorickshaw, taxi and matador drivers’ association (INTUC) said, “We have been appealing to authorize autorickshaw stands since 1987. Till now the town municipality has not responded to our issue. Roads are widening. Buildings are constructed. But there is no space for auto rickshaw to park. Give permanent parking space for us also.”
Chandrashekar, president of taluk autorickshaw and vehicle drivers’ association (CITU), said, “It is common for town municipality officials to give evading answers and technical issues when it comes to issues faced by auto rickshaw drivers. The service given by auto rickhshaw drivers is immense. During Coronavirus lockdown we have carried patients to hospitals without any PPE. These things are not considered. We do not even have facilities that are provided for auto rickshaws in villages. This should be immediately looked into.”
Addressing the protesters after receiving the appeal, Gopalkrishna Shetty, chief officer of town municipality said, “We are aware of the problems faced by the autorickshaw drivers. We will call a meeting of concerned authority soon and propose solutions. Representatives of autorickshaw associations will be called for the meeting.”
President of town municipality, Veena Bhaskar Mendon was present.