As their usual routine Auto rickshaw drivers were sitting at Gill Chowk in Ludhiana waiting for the customers when they received an unusual guest in form of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi who halted on his way to grain market 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 came to them that too for listening their grievances. The Chief Minister accompanied by President of Punjab Congress Mr 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 in glass of tea. During the interaction with the auto rickshaw drivers, the Chief Minister 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 CM Channi said that 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.
CM 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. CM Channi also acceded to the demand of auto rickshaw owners to draw a yellow line exclusively for plying of auto rickshaws.
Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included President of Punjab Congress Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, Cabinet Ministers Manpreet Singh Badal and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, MLAs Mr Kuldeep Singh Vaid, Sanjay Talwar and Lakhbir Singh Lakha, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rahul Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and others.
