“You get to meet so many people; you’re never stuck in the same place and the income is not bad – that’s what I thought when I took up this job of being an auto rickshaw driver, twelve years ago.
And that was actually true until March, before the lockdown. But the last four months have been incredibly tough. Not just for me but for the entire auto drivers union in the state.
Despite the relaxations in lockdown norms, there is still less work. Due to the fear of exposure to coronavirus, people are not preferring to take rides in the autos. Earlier, I used to earn Rs 700-Rs 800 per day but now it has almost come down by 50%. The guidelines implemented by the government makes it difficult for us to ferry passengers within the limited number. The government should allow at least four passengers in a six seater passenger auto like mine.
As the district buses and trains are running intrastate, I mostly get the passengers who come from other districts. I cannot even ask them if they are sick or have travel history to COVID-19 affected zones. It’s a huge concern because I have a family too. I am wearing a mask and cleaning my auto with disinfectant. But will that be enough to prevent the virus? I can’t be sure. I will have to continue my work for I have no other choice!”
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