Delhi auto union plans Jantar Mantar protest over welfare board and fitness fees

Auto and taxi drivers have been called to Jantar Mantar on August 17 by the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, which is seeking the immediate creation of an Auto-Taxi Drivers’ Welfare Board.

Rajendra Soni, the union’s general secretary, said drivers would also demand that increased vehicle fitness fees be withdrawn. The Transport Ministry raised fitness-test fees in November 2025 for motor vehicles more than 20 years old, as part of an effort to discourage their continued use.

The planned protest, under the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh umbrella, will press both the central and Delhi governments on other transport concerns. These include working-hour limits for drivers, accountability among Delhi transport department officials, and an immediate ban on bike taxis operating with private number plates.

For commuters, the announcement signals a gathering at Jantar Mantar, though the union has not announced any strike or service disruption.