“I couldn’t study beyond class 10 because of the financial situation at home. At the age of 18, I moved to Hyderabad from my hometown Nagarkurnool to earn a living.

I began to drive a rented taxi to support my family. Unfortunately, every day, a large chunk of my earnings would go to the owner of the car, leaving me with a meagre amount.

That’s when I made up my mind about buying an auto rickshaw. I hadn’t made enough money yet, but I was determined and somehow arranged enough money to buy my own rickshaw on EMI. I did this only to ensure a happy and decent life for my family. And the best part of my job was meeting new people all the time and interacting with them. That’s also one of the reasons why I chose this field because I love talking to my passengers and knowing their culture.

But the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has made things extremely difficult as I was jobless for more than two months during the lockdown period.

Even post lockdown, things are still the same due to a sharp decline in demand as people are not preferring to take rides in autos due to coronavirus scare. Earlier, I used to earn Rs 1000-Rs 1200 per day but now it has almost come down by 50%.

No one comes to movie theatres and shopping malls anymore. The handful of passengers who travel by autos are now driving their own vehicles. So I realized the only place I can find some business is outside hospitals and railway stations. Yes, there is a higher risk of contracting the virus but if I don’t risk health for business, my family will die of starvation. To contribute my part to the nation during these difficult times, I have also started offering free rides to pregnant women who are facing trouble in getting transportation during these times.

Moreover, under the COVID safety protocol norms, I am wearing the mask, undergoing regular health checks, and sanitizing my auto before every ride. I have also installed a protective partition screen between the driver seat and the passenger section as an additional layer of protection to ensure physical separation. I just hope people gain the confidence to travel in autos soon!”

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