Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) today alleged that autorickshaw drivers in Ahmedabad are being forced to pay illegal monthly instalments to police and administrative personnel in order to operate shuttle rickshaws in the city.

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, GPCC spokesperson Hemang Rawal claimed that rickshaw drivers are being made to pay ₹1,000 per month, amounting to ₹12,000 annually, as there is no official permission to run shuttle services within Ahmedabad.

Rawal said he had spoken to a rickshaw driver and recorded the conversation. According to him, the driver admitted that those who pay the monthly instalment are issued a special sticker, which prevents them from being stopped at police points. “The design of this sticker changes every month, and during Diwali, a lamp-shaped sticker is issued,” Rawal alleged.

Rawal further said that if rickshaw drivers are allowed to carry sharing passengers as per RTO rules, the alleged illegal collection network would collapse, benefiting both drivers and commuters.

The Congress spokesperson demanded that the state government take immediate action. The demands include: 1. A thorough investigation into the alleged sticker-based instalment collection system, 2. Strict action against officials responsible for the purported malpractice, and 3. Legal permission for rickshaw drivers to carry sharing passengers to support their livelihood. DeshGujarat