LPG­ price hike: Auto drivers go on strike

Bangalore: Hundreds of passengers faced a tough time in many parts of the city with autorickshaw drivers going on a flash strike on Wednesday in protest against the sudden hike in auto LPG prices. The traffic police used private taxis and police vehicles to ferry stranded passengers.

Sources said that oil marketing companies on Wednesday morning increased auto LPG prices in the city from Rs.54.40 to Rs. 65.50 per litre. Auto unions, upset with the sudden increase, resorted to the flash strike.

The strike was withdrawn soon after with the intervention of traffic police and transport department officials.

No fare revision

Somashekhar, president, Bangalore Auto Drivers Union, said that there will be no revision in auto fares, despite oil companies increasing LPG prices.

“According to an agreement reached between auto unions and government, next fare revision will be only when gas and oil rates cross Rs 70. After Wednesday’s revision, the price will be around Rs 78.

“But the prices are expected to ease over the next one month and we will not pressure the transport department to revise fares,” he said.

Recently, the district administration had revised the fares.

Autorickshaw drivers have asked the state government to intervene like the Delhi government.

“How can oil firms revise the rate by Rs11 per liter of gas in a day? There was no information. We came to know about the revision only when we went to fuel stations on Wednesday morning. It is a New Year shock,” said Gangadhara Gowda, an auto driver.