Facing resistance, Chennai’s pink auto drivers set up their own stands

S. Logannayaki, an autorickshaw driver for 15 years, had come to the Shenoy Nagar Metro Station to drop off customers. A couple of Metro users, seeing an auto available, climbed in and asked her to wait for them. However, a male auto driver was quick to approach them and demand that they get off her auto.

“He directly told them, ‘She is not part of the auto drivers’ group here. There is a stand right here for us. You [customers] must take only these autos’. He didn’t even look at me or address me,” recalled Ms. Logananayaki. “The customers, though frightened, fought with him. But he did not back down. Finally, they got off my auto and opted to walk rather than hire an auto at all.”