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EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
SURAT, June 30: Barely six hours after embarking on a strike, agitating autorickshaw unions announced the withdrawal of the strike on Wednesday night after assurances from police officials that 40 school autorickshaws seized will be released.
All autorickshaws of the city went on strike at 2 pm in protest against a police drive of the police to seize autorickshaws that were violating regulations prescribed in carrying students to school and back.
There was some tension at Makkai Pool area in the afternoon after agitating rickshaw drivers forced passengers out of the vehicles and asked drivers to take their vehicles off the road. The police were quick to react and send in additional vehicles to patrol the area. There was, however, no untoward incident reported during the strike. Strike convener Bashir Patel told Express Newsline after the strike was called off that the police had given them two months, during which all school autos would be required to get permits and also abide by clause 119 of the Motor Vehicles Rules, which lays down requirements for carrying students.
A meeting to this effect continued between rickshaw union leaders and police officials until 8 pm, after which the union leaders claimed that the police had assured them that no school autos will be seized for two months during which they are supposed to get permits issued. RTO officials have also been requested to accord urgency to issuance of rickshaw permits to drivers.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
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