Rickshaw drivers on Wednesday revealed that many people from their profession had been forced to quit their occupation because of traffic jams across the city.
They said traffic jams at key locations of the city caused by protests, rallies and other political activities had been frustrating for rickshaw drivers due to which they had been forced to switch to other means of earning their livelihood. They also blamed corrupt traffic authorities for their woes.
“Any time of the day, particularly during peak hours, thousands of vehicles are seen moving at a snail’s pace in busy areas, especially on Shadman Chowk, Lawrence Road, Railway Station, Garhi Shahu, Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, Wahdat Road, Samanabad, Mughal Pura, Fatima Jinnah Road, Mall Road, Hall Road, Nicholson Road, Shah Alam Market and other link roads,” said Ali, a rickshaw driver.
Others said that they were forced to charge their passengers extra money during CNG strikes because they had to switch to expensive petrol as a substitute. They also said that traffic jams caused by various construction projects on city roads had also been a source of problems for rickshaw drivers. They complained that the authorities had not planned proper alternatives routes during the construction period, which had only added to their troubles. They said that shopkeepers and vendors opening their shops and stalls on footpaths had narrowed roads tremendously, creating more problems for rickshaw drivers and pedestrians alike.