Office-goers hit hard, many kids miss classes

AURANGABAD: The

agitation of the Maratha community

coupled with the

one-day stir

of the

auto and taxi unions

disrupted traffic in many parts of the city and district on Tuesday. Many parents preferred not to send their children to school owing to the transport stir and professionals struggled to get to offices in time.

Hundreds of youths resorted to agitations at more than 15 spots in the city as part of the state-wide chakka jam agitation was called by Sakal Maratha Samaj. Important thoroughfares such as Beed bypass, Nagar road, Jalgaon road and Jalna-Aurangabad road wore a deserted look between 9am and 1pm, when the agitation was at its peak. In Waluj area, the agitators blocked the main road for three to four times giving tough times to the truck and bus drivers.

A major traffic snarl was reported from Harsul T-point and Akashwani Chowk, where about 5,000 protesters blocked the road. Though the police made repeated attempts to control the mod at both the spots, the jams continued till 1pm. Some of the agitators were taken into custody for allegedly trying to restrict traffic flow.

At Zalta Fata road, serpentine queues of trucks and heavy vehicles were seen after the agitators blocked their entry into the city. About 1,500 agitators raised slogans for nearly two hours. Many transporters parked their heavy vehicles outside the city limits as agitators were seen making attempts to disrupt traffic at Mahanubhav Ashram Chowk, too. Similar agitations were held in Nanded, Latur, Osmanabad, Jalna and other parts of the region.

Apart from the agitation of the Maratha community, the city also witnessed one-day strike of the auto, taxi, mini bus and jeep owners disrupting the daily schedule of passengers arriving in the city and the school students.

Nearly 50% of the school bus owners participated in the strike. Though many parents themselves drove their children to schools located on the city outskirts, others refrained from sending their wards to schools.

Sangeeta Hardikar, a resident of the Garkheda, said she did not send her daughter to school because of the strike. "Her school bus did come today and I was not willing to take risk of personally taking her the school located nearly 8km from our residence at the time when messages of chakka jam were circulating on social media," she said.

Many commuters were seen running from pillar to post for means of transport at Cidco bus stand, central bus stand and other market places. Commuters also waited for auto rickshaws at Kranti Chowk and Baba petrol pump, hoping they would resume their services by late afternoon.

About 2,500 members of the Lal Bauta Auto Rickshaw Union took out a rally from Paithan Gate to Aurangabad regional traffic office highlighting their grievances and demands.

Buddhinath Baral, president of the union, said the recent hike in taxes was not acceptable to them. "The government has made stupendous hike in the vehicle taxes, which is putting heavy burden on the minibus and auto rickshaw drives. The hike is not feasible and thus the government should roll back it," he said.

The central government has recently hiked RTO fees for renewal of licences, registration of vehicles, renewal of registration besides imposed heavy penalties on those paying the fees after due date. The hike came into effect from December 30, 2016.

Ashafaque Salami, secretary of union, said in many cases the amount of renewal fees and late payment charges has surpassed the existing cost of the vehicles.

More than 500 members of the Marathwada Taxi, Metador and Jeep Owners Association parked their vehicles at Aam Khas Maindan in protest of the hike.

Speaking on the occasion, Manmohan Singh Oberoi, present of the association, said auto drives could not afford to pay the increased taxes. They are already reeling under pressure because of dip in businesses in the backdrop of demonetisation and the government is mounting additional burden on them, he said.


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