Days after protests by cab drivers and delivery agents associated with ride hailing and delivery apps, the Telangana State Auto Drivers JAC on Wednesday released a charter of 14 demands, alleging that the State government’s policies had proved counterproductive to the livelihoods of autorickshaw drivers. The JAC announced an indefinite strike from August 24. Among its key demands was a ban on bike taxi services.The demands were the outcome of deliberations among autorickshaw drivers’ unions held earlier in the day. The unions sought sought a waiver of traffic challans, maintaining that steep fines had adversely affected their livelihoods.The JAC claimed that autorickshaw drivers have been bearing the brunt of the government’s policy push to promote electric vehicles and demanded a rollback of the policy. The move, coupled with the alleged unchecked operation of bike taxis, has severely affected the earnings of autorickshaw drivers, it maintained.Among its other demands were a ban on bike taxi services, financial assistance of ₹12,000 per month for autorickshaw drivers, and compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of drivers killed in road accidents. They also demanded the immediate constitution of a welfare board for autorickshaw drivers.On the administrative front, the JAC sought the filling of vacancies in the Telangana Transport Department. It emphasised that enforcement and administrative functions falling within the department’s domain should not be delegated to the police in any form.The JAC also demanded stricter enforcement against illegal passenger transport operations, protection for autorickshaw drivers from harassment, and opposed what it described as the privatisation of transport services.A long standing demand, that of an increase in minimum fare, and per kilometre fare owing to frequent increase in petrol and gas prices was also sought. The recent fuel price hike, owing to the conflict in West Asia, had hit them hard, they said. The JAC stated that autorickshaw drivers would go on strike at midnight on August 24 if the government does not meet their demands. Published - August 05, 2026 07:12 pm IST