Delhi auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers have threatened an indefinite hunger strike from November 20 after manual fitness inspections failed to begin at the Burari Vehicle Inspection Unit despite directions from the transport commissioner, according to Jagran – New Delhi.
The inspection process was expected to start on Wednesday after the All Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union said it had been assured by the commissioner’s office that manual testing would begin from November 11. However, the union alleged that the process did not start because officials were not present and slots were unavailable on the online portal.
The delay has left a large number of drivers waiting at the Burari vehicle fitness centre. Union president Kishan Verma said thousands of drivers reached the centre after receiving assurances that inspections would resume. The report did not provide an official response from the Transport Department to the allegations regarding staff availability or the portal.
According to the union, fitness inspections have remained suspended since October 27, causing financial losses for auto and taxi operators. Vehicle fitness certification is a mandatory compliance requirement for commercial vehicles, and delays can prevent drivers from completing the process needed to keep their vehicles in operation.
The dispute also covers policy and fare-related demands. The union has opposed the requirement under Delhi’s electric auto policy, which is scheduled to take effect from January 1 next year. It has demanded that drivers be allowed to choose between compressed natural gas vehicles and electric autos instead of being required to shift exclusively to electric vehicles.
The union has also sought a fare increase and the formation of a welfare board for drivers. It said the government must take a concrete decision on fitness inspections, fares and the welfare board by November 15. If the demands are not addressed by that deadline, the union warned that it would begin an indefinite hunger strike outside the chief minister’s residence from November 20.
The immediate dispute places the focus on the administrative capacity of Delhi’s vehicle inspection system. The reported failure involves both the availability of manual inspections and access to online appointment slots, two parts of the certification process that drivers depend on to maintain their commercial operations.
The report did not establish how many vehicles are currently awaiting inspection, how long the backlog is, or whether the Transport Department has issued a revised schedule. The next stated deadlines are November 15, when the union expects a decision on its demands, and November 20, when it has threatened to begin the protest.
