Telangana: Hire vehicle drivers on edge over non-payment of bills

Hyderabad: The government departments which hire vehicles of owner-cum-drivers have not cleared their bills for the last several months. Adding to their woes, Telangana Four-Wheeler Drivers’ Association says as for the last five years there is no revision of fixed hire charges for vehicles engaged on hire; it demanded revision of hire charges for their vehicles.

According to the association, over 13,000 vehicles hired by the Transport department are spread over in various departments. Drivers say they are facing difficulties for their livelihood with pending bills since last six to 25 months.

The association also submitted a representation to the State Transport minister, principal secretary and commissioner of transport department, and the Finance minister for revision of fixed hire charges for vehicles, as it was done seven years ago.

Shaik Salauddin, president of the association, said the Groundwater department bills have been pending since last 12 months, Panchayat Raj Engineering (25 months), Excise (15 months), Roads & Buildings (15 months), Social Welfare (10 months), BC ST SC and Minority welfare (12 months), Commercial Taxes (six months), Women Development & Child Welfare (nine months), District Rural Development Agency (six months).

Salauddin said drivers belonging to SC, ST, BC and minority communities had purchased vehicles with finances provided by various institutions and running them as hired vehicles in different State departments, maintaining their families and paying EMIs promptly. Thus, there are around 13,000 owner-cum-drivers spread in all the departments.

Moreover, the government fixed a monthly rent of Rs 33,000 for 2,500km for districts and Rs 34,000 for 2,500 km/month for Hyderabad on June 16, 2017. From 2017 to 2023 prices of POL have increased from 37% to 40%. The price of diesel was Rs 58; it is now Rs 97.82 per litre.

During the same period, the cost of living increased by more than 25% as seen from the cost-of-living index. “We urge the government to increase the fixed hire charges for districts to Rs 66,000 and for Hyderabad to Rs 68,000,” said Salauddin.

With a low fixed amount, the drivers were unable to pay the regular instalments to banks, mostly SBI, Secunderabad Patny, from which they have secured their vehicles under the scheme. With not payable instalments, the bank authorities have seized their vehicles.