Day after: Auto drivers bear the brunt in Mumbai

After the auto union had its moment in the sun when the government agreed to hike auto fare by 50 paise for every kilometre beyond 1.6km, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena decided to cash in on the situation.

On Wednesday morning, MNS and Sena workers carried out dramatic agitations against autos in several parts of the eastern and western suburbs, such as Sion, Bandra (West), Vikhroli and Ghatkopar.

Both parties claimed to enforce the agitations in support of the transport department’s agenda of cracking down on errant drivers who indulge in meter tampering, refuse fare and are rude with passengers.

“Sharad Rao’s union is behaving in an arrogant manner. If they continue with this behaviour, the Sena will come in support of the commuters,” said party spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

The activists roughed up of auto drivers, vandalised three-wheelers, set two on fire and forcibly fitted electronic meters in rickshaws. 

The police arrested at 10 MNS activists at Sion for indulging in violence. In Ghatkopar, commuters reportedly got violent with auto drivers when one of them refused to go to a particular location.

The Goregaon East police are looking for the unidentified miscreants who set two autorickshaws on fire near Heera Panna centre. When Harishchandra Yadav, 38, and Govind Yadav, 25, had parked their autos at Visheshwar Nagar on Tuesday night.

When they came to the spot in the morning, they were shocked to find the vehicles burning. “We are making inquiries in the neighbourhood and are also trying to find out if they had a dispute with anyone,” said a police officer.

SK Sharma, principal secretary, transport, issued an official statement claiming that the government was not under any pressure to hike auto fare.

“The decision was taken as per the recommendations of the Hakim committee and there is no pressure from any particular union. The MMRTA took this decision keeping in mind the fuel prices and taxes," he said.