Causing
hardship for residents of Delhi-NCR, various unions of auto, taxi, and minibus
drivers have agreed to go on strike on Monday, April 18, 2022, to protest
rising petrol, diesel, and CNG prices.

While
other unions have announced a one-day strike, the Sarvodaya Driver Association
Delhi, which includes cab aggregator drivers, has announced
an “indefinite” strike beginning Monday.

“We
have decided to go on an indefinite strike from Monday in view of no action by
the government to help us by slashing prices of fuels and revising fares,”
President, Sarvodaya Driver Association Delhi, Kamaljeet Gill, was quoted as
saying by PTI news agency.

Also read: Gold, silver and other metal prices on Monday, April 18, 2022

Despite
the Delhi government’s announcement to form a committee to review fare revision
in a time-bound manner, the unions have refused to call off their strike.

The
“unprecedented” surge in CNG prices has taken a toll on auto and cab
drivers, according to Rajendra Soni, general secretary of the Delhi Auto
Rickshaw Sangh.

“We
know that the Delhi government is forming some committee, but we need solutions
to our problems which are not in sight. We are demanding that the government
(Centre and Delhi) provide Rs 35 per kg subsidy on CNG prices,” he
commented. “We cannot keep plying our autos and cabs bearing losses every
day as the CNG prices are galloping. This is a symbolic protest to oppose the
price hike,” Soni added.

Also read: China’s Q1 GDP grows 4.8% year on year, beating expectations

Hundreds
of autos, taxi, and cab drivers protested at the Delhi Secretariat recently,
demanding that CNG rates be subsidised.

The
national capital’s public transportation system is supported by over 90,000
autos and over 80,000 registered taxis.

Shyamlal
Gola, the general secretary of the STA Operators Ekta Manch, stated that RTV
buses, which number in the thousands, will also be off the road in favour of
the requests for revised tariffs and lower CNG prices.

Between
March 22 and April 6, petrol and diesel prices rose by Rs 10 per litre, the
largest increase in a 16-day period since fuel prices were deregulated two
decades ago. The price of CNG, on the other hand, has increased by Rs 15.6 per
kg in less than six weeks. This includes an increase of Rs 7.50 per kg in April
alone.

Also read: Sensex falls over 1100 points while Nifty around 17,160 in early trade

Petrol
is priced at Rs 105.41 per litre in Delhi, while diesel is priced at Rs 96.67
per litre. CNG prices in the national capital were last increased on April 14
and are now at Rs 71.61 per kg.

Meanwhile,
traffic is likely to be delayed as people of Ghamroj (Haryana) and adjacent
villages stage a dharna to protest the Sohna toll plaza, which is set to open
on Sohna road. As a result, the Gurugram traffic police have requested that all
heavy vehicles avoid using this route and instead use alternate routes.