Dhanbad passengers continued to face troubles on roads for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, as a strike launched by auto-rickshaw operators remained in force.

Demanding a host of needs, including raising the minimum fare from Rs 5 to Rs 10, the unions had called for an indefinite strike on Tuesday.

Talking to The Telegraph Online, PK Chaudhary, a resident of Tapowan Colony in Dhanbad and a medical distributor, said that his workplace is 40 kilometers away from his residence. “I travel by bus from Govindpur to Topchanchi everyday. But due to the strike, it is difficult for me to travel to Govindpur, which is five kilometres away from my residence.”

“The administration must intervene to end the crisis as common passengers are facing troubles,” he said.

Regarding the demands of the drivers, he said, “Although I feel that some of the demands of auto drivers like allocation routes are justified, the demand to double the minimum fare is not.”

Chaudhary also said if city buses were available, they would not have faced such issues.

A Purana Bazar-based book trader Rajesh Gupta said that the lack of transportation will have an effect on the market as the movement of goods will also be restricted.

“We will request the district administration to intervene to end the crisis at the earliest,” Gupta, a patron of the Federation of Dhanbad Zila Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said.

He also raised the issue of a large number of buses of the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation being non-operational.

Auto-rickshaw drivers under the banner of “Sanyukt Tempo Sangh” stage sit-in at an auto stand near Sramik Chowk in Rangatand, Dhanbad, on Wednesday. Picture by Gautam Dey

“Auto-rickshaws cannot serve as the main mode of transportation. If cities like Cacutta and Delhi run so many buses, the government should also ensure operation of around 70 city buses provided to Dhanbad Municipal Corporation during 2010 under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.”

President of Jharkhand Pradesh Auto Chalak Mahasangh, Chhotan Singh said, “No concrete step is in sight on part of the administration to end the deadlock. If the situation continues we will intensify our protest to fast-unto-death from Thursday at Randhir Verma Chowk.”

We will resolve the issue very soon as a delegation of protesters met me today. But since the issue is being traditionally addressed at the level of the Sub Divisional officer of Dhanbad, I have not intervened into it on my own,” said Chandan Kumar, ADM (Law and Order) of Dhanbad.

Sub Divisional officer of Dhanbad, Surendra Prasad said, “Though no discussion has so far been held with the protesting auto-rickshaw operators, we expect a solution very soon.”