Ludhiana : Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi during his initial days himself had driven the auto rickshaw. Mr Channi told this to auto rickshaw drivers here on Monday when, on his way to grain market, he suddenly halted at Gill Chowk to listen to problems of the auto rickshaw drivers.
Taken by surprise the drivers were elated as for the first time in the recent past any Chief Minister had come to them that too for listening their grievances. He accompanied by President of Punjab Congress Navjot Singh Sidhu took a “wooden bench” to sit amongst the auto rickshaw owners and interact with them. In his impeccable style ,CM Channi relished the tea offered by the auto rickshaw drivers by dipping a ‘Mathi’ (Salty Cookies) in a glass of tea.
During the interaction with the auto rickshaw drivers, he assured them to consider their genuine demands sympathetically. Due to huge rush of the auto rickshaw drivers, the Chief Minister then stood on the stool and addressed the gathering of the auto rickshaw drivers amidst huge applause. Striking an emotional chord with the auto rickshaw drivers Mr Channi said during his initial days he himself had driven the auto rickshaw. Winning the hearts of the auto rickshaw drivers he announced that new registration certificates will be issued soon to them for preventing their harassment.
Mr Channi also announced that all the challans which are pending will be waived off. He asked the auto rickshaw drivers to follow traffic rules and work honestly. He also acceded to the demand of auto rickshaw owners to draw a yellow line exclusively for plying of auto rickshaws.
