E-Rickshaw and Toto Workers Submit Deputation to Hili BDO

December 29, 2025

A deputation on the same issue had earlier been submitted

Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Balurghat

A deputation was submitted today to the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Hili by the South Dinajpur E-Rickshaw and Toto Workers’ Union, affiliated with UTUC. The deputation raised serious concerns regarding the West Bengal government’s recently announced guidelines on new registration and renewal of Toto vehicles.The union leaders stated that a large number of Toto drivers are educated but unemployed youths who have entered this profession with very limited capital and are struggling under difficult socio-economic conditions. In this situation, the annual cost of registration, renewal and insurance—amounting to around ₹9,000 or more—has become an unbearable financial burden for them.

It was pointed out that a deputation on the same issue had earlier been submitted to the District Magistrate of South Dinajpur on November 6, and similar deputations are being given to BDOs of different blocks across the district.During today’s deputation, the following demands were placed before the administration-

1. Reduction in the fees for registration and renewal of Toto vehicles.
2. Government initiative to reduce the cost of mandatory insurance.
3. Extension of the deadline for registration and renewal by at least three months.

Inclusion of Toto drivers under the West Bengal Transport Workers’ Social Security Scheme, similar to auto and bus drivers, so that they can avail retirement and death-related benefits.Initiation of discussions with Toto drivers and trade unions to resolve dissatisfaction regarding Toto routes, along with other related demands.Around 60 Toto drivers participated in the deputation. Prior to submitting the memorandum, the drivers organized a procession from Tior to Hili to press their demands.

Those present during the deputation included UTUC South Dinajpur Joint Secretary Biswanath Saha, Assistant Secretary of the E-Rickshaw and Toto Workers’ Union Nityagopal Kundu, Union President Dilip Banerjee, mass leader Comrade Rathindranath Sarkar, Biplab Dey, youth leader Dipankar Maitra, and teachers’ leader Comrade Arnab Chowdhury.The union leaders expressed hope that the administration would take urgent steps to address the issues affecting the livelihood of Toto drivers.