Hyderabad, August 24, 2026: Autorickshaw unions in Telangana have withdrawn their proposed indefinite strike after the State Government agreed to consider a revision of autorickshaw fares. The decision followed discussions between Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, senior transport officials and representatives of various autorickshaw unions on Sunday night.
The unions had been preparing for a strike over several long-pending demands, with fare revision being one of their major concerns. According to the government, autorickshaw fares have not been formally revised for many years, prompting drivers to seek an increase to cope with rising operating costs. However, the government has not yet announced the new fare structure. A final decision will be taken after obtaining a report and consulting stakeholders.
Government Plans New Ride-Hailing Platform
Another important announcement was the proposed launch of a government-backed aggregator application for autorickshaw services. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the platform would be developed in coordination with the Information Technology Department and would provide an alternative to existing private ride-hailing applications such as Ola and Uber.
Action on Bike Taxis
The government also addressed the unions’ concerns regarding bike taxis. Authorities said measures would be taken to make yellow registration plates mandatory for two-wheelers carrying passengers through platforms such as Rapido, Ola and Uber.
The issue of bike taxis has been a major concern for autorickshaw drivers because they compete for passengers, particularly on shorter journeys. Earlier protests by Hyderabad auto unions had also sought stronger regulation of bike taxis.
Welfare Assistance for Auto Drivers
The government also discussed the demand for financial assistance to autorickshaw drivers. The unions have been seeking ₹12,000 in annual assistance, a promise associated with the government’s election commitments.
The Transport Minister said the proposal would be examined by the Cabinet while considering the State’s financial position. A final decision is therefore still pending.
Welfare Board to Be Discussed
Another major development was the proposal to establish a TGSRTC workers’ welfare board. A joint meeting involving representatives of the Labour Department, Transport Department and autorickshaw unions has been scheduled for September 1 to discuss the issue and related welfare measures.
Support for Electric Auto Conversion
The government also announced financial assistance for converting older petrol and diesel autorickshaws into electric vehicles through retrofitting within the Hyderabad CURE Area.
Under the proposal, eligible vehicle owners could receive assistance of up to ₹1.50 lakh for the conversion. The government has also indicated that subsidies are available for purchasing new electric autorickshaws.
2 Responses