HSC examinees could not read ‘sudden’ autorickshaw strike in Pune

The unexpected autorickshaw strike caused severe inconvenience to Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees in the city on Saturday. While most of them were caught unawares, a few knew about the strike and made alternative arrangements for commuting.

Sanjana Abade, an HSC examinee, who was caught unawares by the strike, said, “I got an auto in the morning to reach the examination centre, but now I am really worried about how to get home, as my parents are out of town.”

She lives near Khadki station and had come to Model Colony for her physics-I paper. Finally, she took a bus home.

Another student, Sonal Sali, who commutes to the exam centre in an autorickshaw, was aware of the strike. So, she asked her elder sister to drop her and pick her up.

“My sister came to pick me up, as autorickshaw drivers are on strike,” said Sonal, who lives in Bibvewadi and had come to Vidya Bhavan School for her examination.

A student of Vidya Bhavan School, Piyush Shah, who stays on Sinhagad Road, requested one of his friends to drop him home after the paper. “Usually, I don’t take an auto, but today my bike broke down. So, I took an autorickshaw. Once I got to know about the strike, I requested my friend to drop me home,” he said.

Although students found a way to overcome the problem, it did create a few moments of tension for them.

However, autorickshaw driver Umesh Shinde said, “I plied the autorickshaw for standard XII students, but I did not charge by meter.”

Another autorickshaw driver Ramesh Shinde also said that his autorickshaw was working for students, patients and those who were really in need.
He said, “I am aware of the examination, as my daughter is also appearing for it. So, I decided to help the students, who had their papers today (Saturday). I even ferried the students of Loyola School despite the strike,” Ramesh said.

School Rickshaw Association president, Bapu Bhave, said, “Being a Saturday, many schools were closed. We dropped the students of schools that were open, and asked the parents to pick them up.”

Office staff at Huzurpaga and Ahilyadevi School told DNA that the strike did not affect the attendance of students.

“The autorickshaws dropped the children in the morning, and asked the parents to pick them up. Being a fourth Saturday, many parents also had off days. So, they came to pick up their wards,” said an Ahilyadevi School staffer.