The Auto-Rickshaw nuisance of Mumbai

It was really a very happy moment for me when I heard that 22nd June 2010 the rickshaws were going on strike in whole of Mumbai. Surprised!!! How a person who almost regularly takes the auto can is now relieved on seeing the autos going on strike? Well, I am just going to describe in this article how beneficial is the strike for Mumbaikars.

What the Autowalas think and what the Mumbaikars gave them:
The autowalas of Mumbai just think that one strike and the entire commercial hub of this country comes to its knees. Their assumption was given a hooting by the Mumbaikars as the city didn’t collapse. The egos of this irresponsible dwellers in the city was given a kick back by the people as the business continued as usual and there was no disruption in whatever way you can think of to the regular working of the city. Also on the contrary there were no traffic jams in the city and even in the peak hours despite rains the traffic was moving very well. I could in fact drive to the office very nicely which I never do. Also I could see that the other modes of transport running almost flawlessly on the otherwise crowded Andheri-Kurla road with much ease and comfort. The travelling time that day was reduced like anything and the distances that used to be more than an hour reduced to mere 15-20 minutes, which was unbelievable. Their so called strike was a blessing in disguise for the common Mumbaikar, hello are the news channels listening?????

Media Sympathy:
That day I also saw the way the media was going left right and center just lying about the so called difficulties that the people were facing in the city. Frankly speaking the politically motivated media just is not aware of the sentiments of the people who actually despise this irresponsible autowalas of Mumbai to the core. Whole day there is a reporting that the life is totally paralyzed in the city, which was just a white lie that the media was presenting, on the contrary life was much more smooth and prepared without this unscrupulous community who just dwell on the roads irresponsibly and ply the three wheelers on their wish and without any kind of adherence to rules.

Why I am so angry?
The reason of my outburst is because of the fact that the autowalas of Mumbai are the most irresponsible beings that I have met. Everyday there is a thing that there would be two or three autos that will just not go to the destination that you are planning to go to. In the morning they always give the excuse that “wahan pe bahut traffic hain- isliye nahin jaana hai” (There is a lot of traffic over there so I don’t want to go) without realizing that is their community which is contributing the lions’ share to the traffic. Even when a person is in emergency they would just not care about them and only look for their convenience. It is as if the government has given them a three wheeler to just stroll around the entire city with a public transport license and cause this nuisance that they are causing in the entire city.

Political instability:
If I investigate this issue in deep then I find a lot of reason behind the anger of MNS towards these people who have come from outside and causing this nonsense in the maximum city. I have never seen a local auto driver say no to me for any kind of destination; it is only the migrant autowalas that have this kind of geographical discriminations which they openly display. The question is that if they are not actually interested in doing the business that they have come for then why are they staying in this city after all? The answer is to serve the great vote bank that the non locals are having, a reason to grab power the non ethical way and then try to rule over the locals in the city by the virtue of some illiterate vote bank. I am also a migrant but MNS is not having a problem with me, it is because of the fact that I am not creating the political and regional imbalance that this city doesn’t deserve, I have come to this city to do my work, which I am doing with utmost dedication by abiding by all the rules that this city and its administration has laid down for me. I am not trying to be a power snatcher and definitely not a person who would go against the local population. I am trying to be the sugar in the milk rather than being the drop of lemon syrup that actually would spoil the milk. I see autowalas (especially migrants) just plying the autos without any reason, not interested to carry passengers but only to give a paid lift to people who are going to go to their destination of interest or even on the way. They are just paid to stay in this city for the Election Day, when they can actually misuse their right of voting and try to create a regional imbalance in the city. For some reasons I feel that this agenda of MNS of stopping the useless migration from the root holds little water. However, having said that I would also like to say that there are intelligent and very tactical ways of handling these people.

Finally I would like to say that we on the other hand are also equally responsible for giving lot of importance to these people. If we are not happy with their services, or we feel that our priorities as public is being neglected by a so called public transport system then we should launch mass complains to the relevant authorities and seek our right to information for follow-up of these complains. It is only then, we will have a proper system of autos in this city.