Nagpur: Autorickshaw drivers staged a protest at the collector’s office on Tuesday, raising concerns over sharp increase in LPG prices and its direct impact on their daily earnings. Around 50 drivers participated in the agitation.The protest, led by corporator Wasim Khan, centred on steep rise in fuel costs, with drivers pointing out that gas prices have increased from Rs54 to Rs84, while a few other companies’ rates have gone up to Rs96 per litre. Many said the hike has made it difficult to sustain operations, as earnings have not kept pace with rising input costs.Drivers said LPG is their primary fuel, and any sudden surge significantly reduces their margins. Several participants highlighted daily expenses, including maintenance and permits, are already high, and the added burden of fuel price hikes is pushing them towards financial strain.“The increase in LPG prices is affecting every auto driver in the city. It has become very difficult to manage daily expenses,” said corporator Khan. In a symbolic gesture, he also towed an auto-rickshaw to the protest site to underline the situation.Apart from fuel prices, drivers also raised objections to app-based bike taxi services by other private players, stating that their operations are impacting traditional auto services. They demanded regulatory action against such services to safeguard their livelihood.
