Fulbari, 06th July: City auto drivers staged a protest in Fulbari on Monday demanding a ban on unauthorized e-rickshaw (toto) movement on the national highway.
Members of the City Auto Owners’ Union and City Auto Union gathered at Fulbari Battala More and briefly blocked the road. Following the incident, police from the Fulbari Highway Traffic Outpost and New Jalpaiguri Police Station reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The blockade was later lifted and normal traffic movement resumed.
The protesters alleged that a large number of toto vehicles are operating on the Siliguri-Jatiakali stretch of the national highway without valid route permits and without following traffic regulations. They claimed this has increased the risk of accidents and is also causing financial losses to authorised passenger vehicles due to declining ridership.
City Auto Union member Mohammad Rofikul Hasan said unauthorized toto vehicles are running without any rules, leading to frequent accidents and even loss of lives. He added that drivers are facing financial hardship as passenger numbers in their vehicles have dropped significantly, making it difficult to manage family expenses and vehicle loan instalments. He also stated that repeated complaints to authorities have not resulted in any effective action, forcing them to take to the streets in protest.