Autos will be back on the road Wednesday. We might organise sit-in protests or hunger strike on the issue,' BTCS general secretary Anil Kumar said.

The national capital witnessed stray incidents of violence when striking auto rickshaw drivers attacked those who were plying their vehicles. One incident took place in Mayur Vihar area of east Delhi where a group of drivers on strike attacked a driver who was not part of the strike and even damaged his vehicle.

Fearing such attacks, some drivers kept off the road.

'I am not a member of any association but some auto drivers have threatened to damage my auto if I drive the vehicle. So I decided not to take a chance,' said Salim Abbas, an auto-rickshaw driver in east Delhi.

Reacting to reports of such incidents, Kumar said: 'We have appealed to all auto rickshaw drivers not to indulge in violent activities during the strike, but there were some incidents of violence.'

Meanwhile, Delhi government's Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely warned the auto unions of strict action and said harassment of commuters would not be tolerated.

'Harassment of commuters by auto-rickshaw drivers would not be tolerated at any cost. Strict action would be taken against the three wheeler operators and drivers who violate the permit rules. Keeping in view the auto strike, the government is planning to make alternative arrangements to help commuters,' Lovely said.

'The demands of auto unions are not justified and the government cannot compromise on set norms and the law to give in to them. Autos are here for the convenience of the public and the government has decided not to succumb to the pressure tactics of auto drivers,' he added.

--Indo-Asian New Service

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