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John NB has been working as an autorickshaw driver for over a decade in Chennai. As the traffic slowed down at an Indian Oil petrol pump on April 16, John pointed to a long queue of autos – about 50–60 in number – explaining how, in the past fortnight, autos have been affected by the shortage of fuel.
“Several LPG-run autos wait at petrol pumps for three to four hours a day,” John told TNM. “I don’t suffer from this problem because I drive a CNG vehicle. From this petrol pump in Poonamallee, you can see autos waiting in queue for LPG all the way up to Kumaran Hospitals half a kilometre away,” he said.
John was discussing the issues affecting auto drivers in Chennai and how their concerns could influence their vote in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls scheduled for April 23. Like him, several other drivers pointed to the LPG crisis as their most recent concern.
Across Chennai, autorickshaw drivers say a mix of immediate crises, including fuel shortage, and long-standing grievances such as stagnant meter fares, mounting debts, and unfulfilled welfare promises, have deepened dissatisfaction with the incumbent DMK government. While some drivers remain politically aligned with parties in the ruling alliance, many say their day-to-day struggles have gone unaddressed, shaping a growing anti-incumbency sentiment ahead of the polls.
‘Revise fares’
When it was pointed out that the LPG crisis stemmed from the Israel-Iran war and the subsequent blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, Raji Ashok, a woman auto driver, shifted focus back to the state government.
“The LPG crisis is not the Tamil Nadu government’s fault. But if the state government had fixed the meter rates and increased them temporarily for the past two weeks, we wouldn’t be so badly affected,” she said.
Anbazhagan was among several auto drivers seated outside the Central Metro Bus Stop near the Chennai Central Railway Station when TNM met him on April 11. While he supports the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, he too has his share of complaints.
“I support the alliance because I am an ardent follower of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and its chief Thol Thirumavalavan, owing to their strong anti-caste politics and the support they extend in my hometown in Perambalur district. But as an auto driver in Chennai, our woes have not been addressed,” he said, raising the long-pending issue of fare revision.
The last time meter rates were fixed in Tamil Nadu was in August 2013 under former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK government. The state mandated electronic meters with GPS and printers, setting a minimum fare of Rs 25 for the first 1.8 km and Rs 12 per additional km.
“My house rent has nearly tripled since then, from Rs 5,000 in 2013 to Rs 13,000 now. But the meter rates are the same. Running a home at the existing rate is difficult. Hence auto drivers seldom follow the meter,” Raji added.
Loan repayments
Debt is another pressing concern.
“Several of us have loan repayments. We end up paying at least Rs 400 for interest each day. This is discounting the money we spend on petrol, punctures and other technical services,” Anbazhagan said.
He was referring to loans availed through the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation (TABCEDCO), which provides financial assistance to drivers from Backward Class and Most Backward Class communities.
“Not everyone gets the loan to begin with,” said Murugavel D, another driver at Central station. “An auto driver needs a license, five years of experience, and documentation including Aadhaar and PAN. If you don’t meet any of these criteria, which several auto drivers don’t, you don’t get a loan.”
Unfulfilled promises
Murugavel also pointed to unmet promises from the 2021 Assembly elections. Chief Minister MK Stalin had then assured welfare measures including fuel price cuts, financial aid for purchasing autos, and a dedicated welfare board.
“We need our own recognition. There is still no functional welfare board addressing our issues,” he said.
Parthasarathi, another driver, noted that the promised fuel price cuts had also not materialised.
Shiva, stationed outside Egmore Railway Station, said earnings have become increasingly uncertain. “Now we consider it a win if we earn Rs 1,000 a day. The transport sector has been hugely hit, and auto drivers are terribly unhappy with the DMK government,” he said. According to him, a good day’s earnings should ideally come around Rs 2,000–3,000. “There have been protests, but there has been no response whatsoever,” Shiva alleged.
In March 2025, autorickshaw unions staged protests and a strike in Chennai, with demonstrations at Egmore (Rajarathinam Stadium) and the Chennai Collectorate. Among their demands were fare revisions and a ban on private ride-hailing apps like Ola, Uber, and Rapido.
“There are a cross-section of issues, all of which were ignored,” Shiva added.
Raji also raised concerns about the pink autos launched in March 2025 to promote safety and employment for women drivers.
“The pink autos actually make it very easy for attackers to identify that it is a woman driving. If nothing else, they can at least attack me and steal my phone. There is also no functioning GPS in these autos, which makes it very unsafe,” she said, adding that the lack of public toilets further complicates things for women drivers.
Notably, the DMK has not announced specific measures for auto drivers in its current election manifesto. Meanwhile, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has spoken broadly about worker-centric welfare policies, and the AIADMK has promised a Rs 75,000 subsidy for auto drivers to purchase new vehicles.
With more than one lakh auto drivers in Chennai alone, many say they are looking for change, even though their political loyalties remain complex.