NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Basharat Peer
Fed up of waiting for hours outside compressed natural gas filing stations, the autorickshaw drivers of Delhi lost patience on Tuesday.
Hundreds of autorickshaw drivers took to the streets in south Delhi protesting against the scarcity of CNG at the filing stations.
The irate drivers stopped traffic on the Ring Road, as they protested outside the Indraprastha Gas Limited office at Bhikaji Cama Place.
Despite heavy police presence, the auto drivers were in no mood to tone down their voices as they blamed Petroleum Minister Ram Naik for the failure to provide enough gas after they had been asked by the Supreme Court to switch over to CNG on April 1.
The drivers burned an effigy of the petroleum minister. The strike was organised by the Indian Union of Three Wheeler Drivers.
They demanded that the supply of CNG should be increased at the filing stations and gas must be available 24 hours a day.
"We end up wasting hours every day outside the filing stations. The government should increase the gas supply and provide us some relief," Ramesh Choudhry, a protesting auto driver, said.
The protesters also demanded that the government should stop the registration of any new autos, which run on CNG.
Ram Naik on Monday told Parliament that there would be shortage in the supply of CNG for many years.
He said the government would approach the Supreme Court, as it would be very difficult for Delhi or any other city to convert the entire transport system to CNG mode.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
