Delhi auto drivers to rally at Jantar Mantar on Monday over welfare board, fee hike
New Delhi: The Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh will hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday (August 17, 2026) to press for the formation of a welfare board for auto-taxi drivers and to highlight other transport-related issues. The union, which operates under the umbrella of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has called the agitation against both the central and state governments.
Announcing the protest on Sunday (August 16), Rajendra Soni, general secretary of the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, urged all auto-taxi drivers to gather at Jantar Mantar and present their demands. "We demand that the Delhi government immediately constitute the 'Auto-Taxi Drivers' Welfare Board' and withdraw the increased vehicle fitness fees," he said.
The Transport Ministry had raised the fitness test fee for all motor vehicles older than 20 years in November 2025, a move aimed at discouraging the use of old vehicles. The union has opposed this increase, saying it imposes an undue financial burden on drivers who depend on older vehicles for their livelihood.
In addition to the welfare board and fee rollback, the union is also demanding fixed working time limits for auto-taxi drivers, accountability for officials of the Delhi transport department, and an immediate ban on bike taxis operating with private number plates. These bike taxis, the union argues, pose unfair competition and safety concerns.
The protest is expected to draw a significant number of drivers from across the national capital. Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in central Delhi, has historically been used for such demonstrations. The union has said it will continue its agitation until the demands are met.
