Agartala, June 3 (TIWN): Auto-rickshaw drivers today blockaded the busy Nagerjala motorstand in Agartala this morning centering government passenger ceiling of three passengers per vehicle in the three-wheeler segment. The blockade continued for over an hour from 9:45 am today.

A section of leaders from the Nagerjala and Battakla unit of the Tripura Motor Sramik Union led the agitation which was finally lifted with the intervention of District Magistrate (West), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Sadar) Manik Lal Das, SP (West) and other officials from the West Agartala police station and AD Nagar outpost.

Asked about the issue, CITU working president Pijush Nag said that confusion existed among several auto-rickshaw drivers about the exact permissible passenger carriage ceiling. “There is no official notification to the Union. Besides, passengers are mostly found discontented to pay the additional fare that came as a derivative of the reduction of passengers”, he said. “If people force the auto-rickshaw drivers to take more passengers and the enforcement agencies speak the opposite, which way should the auto-rickshaw drivers go?” quipped Nag.

An official from the West Agartala Police Station said later this morning that the issue was brought under control well within 30 minutes after the problem started. “They blockaded the Nagerjala and Battala motorstands demanding clarification on the passenger ceiling. They said passengers kept bickering on the new fare rate but the drivers couldn’t afford to lower it either”, an official on duty said. He added that such arbitrary blockade on busy areas wouldn’t be tolerated in future.