Ahead of Arvind Kejriwal's 'auto samwad', Punjab CM says govt will waive off pending challans of auto-rickshaw drivers

Punjab CM Channi made the announcement on Monday after meeting a group of auto-rickshaw drivers at the Gill Chowk area.

Ludhiana: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has announced that all pending challans of the auto-rickshaw drivers will be waived off and the state government will issue new registration certificates to them.

Channi made the announcement on Monday after meeting a group of auto-rickshaw drivers at the Gill Chowk area in Ludhiana. His meeting with them came hours before AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's "Auto Samwad programme".

In Ludhiana, yesterday CM Charanjit Singh Channi announced that new registration certificates will be issued soon to auto drivers for preventing their harassment: Punjab Chief Minister's Office

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/P1YxIICwXI

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2021

In Moga, Delhi CM Kejriwal had even taken a dig at Channi for meeting auto-rickshaw drivers before his proposed interaction with them. Channi halted on his way to the grain market to listen to problems of the auto-rickshaw drivers, according to an official release. CM Channi accompanied by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu took a wooden bench to sit amongst auto-rickshaw owners and interact with them.

As their usual routine Auto rickshaw drivers were sitting at Gill Chowk waiting for the customers when they received an unusual guest in form of Chief Minister @CharanjitChanni who halted on his way to grain market, Ludhiana, to listen to problems of the auto rickshaw drivers. pic.twitter.com/YgLLV5FOBB

— CMO Punjab (@CMOPb) November 22, 2021

Channi also relished tea offered by them. During his interaction, the CM assured them to consider their genuine demands sympathetically. Channi also addressed the gathering and told them that during his initial days, he himself had driven an auto-rickshaw.

He announced that the new registration certificates would be issued soon to prevent their harassment. He also announced that their pending challans will be waived off. Channi asked them to follow traffic rules and acceded to their demand of drawing a yellow line, exclusively for the plying of auto-rickshaws.

Besides Channi and Sidhu, ministers Manpreet Singh Badal and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, MLAs Kuldeep Singh Vaid, Sanjay Talwar and Lakhbir Singh Lakha were also present.