Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh Stages Protest at Jantar Mantar Over Welfare Board
Auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers affiliated with the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh gathered at Jantar Mantar on Monday to stage a protest demanding the creation of a dedicated welfare board and the resolution of several transport-related grievances.
Organised under the umbrella organisation of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the agitation was directed against both the central and Delhi state governments. Demonstrators assembled to highlight persistent challenges faced by commercial drivers across the capital.
Speaking ahead of the demonstration, Rajendra Soni, general secretary of the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, appealed to auto and taxi drivers across the city to assemble at Jantar Mantar and place their charter of demands before the government. He stated that the Delhi government must immediately constitute the "Auto-Taxi Drivers' Welfare Board" and withdraw the recent increase in vehicle fitness fees.
The fee hike in question was implemented by the Union Transport Ministry in November 2025, when fitness test charges were raised for all motor vehicles older than 20 years in an effort to discourage vehicle owners from keeping older models on the road.
Beyond the welfare board and fee revisions, the union outlined several other key demands affecting their daily operations. According to Mr. Soni, the Sangh is seeking the enforcement of working time limits for drivers, increased accountability for officials within the Delhi transport department, and an immediate ban on bike taxis operating with private number plates.
