Asansol, Nirbhik Bangla: Ever since the ban on Toto (e-rickshaw) movement on GT Road was imposed, local Toto drivers have been facing extreme hardship. Drivers allege that with their vehicles off the road for six to seven consecutive days, their earnings have completely stopped on one hand, while on the other, meeting daily household expenses has become difficult. Demanding a speedy resolution to the situation, several Toto drivers from the Sataisa area took to the streets today to highlight their plight.
The drivers claim that they do not want to launch an agitation to break any rules. Rather, their appeal to the administration is that the issue be considered from a humanitarian perspective and a peaceful solution be arranged. They stated that if Toto movement on GT Road is stopped without alternative arrangements, it directly impacts their families.
On this day, a Toto driver said, “We do not want separate rules for any specific area. If we live in this area, what is our fault? It is being said that Totos cannot be driven on GT Road. But our commuting route itself is connected to GT Road. If there is a rule, it should be the same for everywhere. The same rule should apply to the whole of Bengal. Is it our crime that we live in this area?”
He further added, “We have not staged any sit-in demonstration so far. We just want our problem to be resolved peacefully. We should be given the opportunity to drive Totos the way we used to before, so that we can survive with our families. We do not want to take to the streets. Everyone standing on the street today is poor.”
The drivers complained that they have had no income as their vehicles have been stopped for seven consecutive days. In the words of one driver, “We have been sitting idle for six days. Everyone has become unemployed. No one even has money to buy medicine. Today marks seven days since the vehicles were stopped. There is no income. We used to pay fares to send our children to school. Despite owning a vehicle, children cannot go to school now. Tuition fees, school expenses—everything is there. If we don’t earn, how will the family run?”
According to the drivers, the livelihoods of most of them depend solely on the income from driving Totos. With the sudden stoppage of vehicle movement, meeting daily family expenses, children’s education, medical care, and other essential costs has become difficult. Therefore, they have appealed for a reconsideration of the ban and an effective solution for them.
The Toto drivers demand that the administration sit for talks with them and make an arrangement such that traffic congestion and safety issues are addressed, while their livelihood is not completely shut down. In their words, “We do not want conflict, we want a solution.”
