Candlelit rally to honor fallen rickshaw driver and press for fare change

Chennai’s auto‑rickshaw community will light candles on Tuesday night as they march from Egmore to Fort St. George, mourning the death of veteran driver Mohammad Ibrahim and demanding a fresh fare formula.

Ibrahim, aged 61, recorded a video appeal to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urging the government to adjust auto fares before he took his own life. His last words reflected the pressure of soaring fuel, insurance and spare‑part costs on drivers who still earn under the 2013 tariff.

Union leaders say the existing fare schedule no longer covers operating expenses, leaving drivers to shoulder mounting financial burdens. They also note that app‑based services like Ola, Uber and Rapido practice surge pricing, which benefits the platforms while marginalising independent rickshaw owners.

The Federation of All Auto Trade Unions is calling for a meter‑linked fare that reflects today’s costs, a state‑run mobile app for auto bookings, regulation—or prohibition—of bike‑taxi operations, and an overhaul of alleged corrupt practices in regional transport offices.

The protest also points to infrastructure changes such as the Metro expansion, free bus rides for women and the rise of bike‑taxi services as contributors to dwindling demand for traditional auto rides. Union officials caution that without swift government action, more drivers may be forced to leave the trade, deepening the financial strain on their families.