Mumbai: For the first time since COVID-19 outbreak, auto-rickshaw unions conduct health checks for their drivers

For the first time in over two years after Covid-19, the auto rickshaw unions conducted health checks for their drivers. On the first day of eye tests they found that out of the total 119 drivers more than 20 of them have cataract and yet they have been ferrying their three wheelers. The auto rickshaw unions are getting these drivers operated upon for free, who have been detected with poor eyesight and cataract.

On February 24, this eye check-up was scheduled for more than 100 auto rickshaw drivers that were held at Dindoshi. “The first eye-test camp has been a success. We managed to test 119 drivers out of which 20 of them have been detected with cataract. These drivers shall undergo operation for free,” said Thampy Kurien, auto rickshaw union leader.

The unions have tied up with an organization who will be bearing the cost of these eye surgeries. These drivers are namely from western suburbs driving auto rickshaws on Goregaon-Dahisar belt. The unions agreed that this is certainly serious, even if not alarming, as drivers are getting detected with cataract and other eye related problems and are ferrying passengers without undergoing tests.

The drivers claimed that due to Covid they had already lost their earnings in the past and so they immediately took up driving. The union members stated that there are cases where drivers had been infected by Covid-19 in the last three waves of this virus and its different strains. The auto rickshaw unions are planning to test around 700-odd auto rickshaw drivers over the next few weeks across western and eastern suburbs. They will also expand it to taxi drivers as well later.

Usually in the months of January and February the Transport Department and Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) conduct Road Safety Week or Fortnight. During this period specific directives are issued from the Road Ministry along with the schedule of things that shall be carried out in the drive. However this year, there was no such Road Safety Drive conducted this year until now.