Taxi unions plan protest outside Parliament over E20 fuel

Taxi associations announce a protest march to Parliament on 4th August against the implementation of ethanol-blended petrol.

Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association has announced a protest march to Parliament on August 4 against the implementation of ethanol-blended E20 petrol.

In a press conference on Friday, the Association's President Sanjay Samrat discussed the concerns of transport operators and vehicle owners regarding the use of E20 fuel. Holding a sugarcane in his hand during the briefing, he stated that many transporters have complained about issues related to fuel mileage, maintenance costs, and vehicle performance.

The Association's President Sanjay Samrat said,

"We will protest and march to Parliament. This will be a peaceful protest with no political agenda as our association is not affiliated with any political party. We will only raise the real issues faced by commercial vehicle users and appeal to the central and state governments to initiate constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and address their concerns."

Transport operators and vehicle owners from different parts of the country have expressed concerns about reduced mileage, increased maintenance costs, and engine performance after using E20 fuel. Samrat said, "Many vehicles manufactured before 2015 are not designed for 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol... This fuel is actually suitable for new model vehicles..." Questioning the use of blended petrol, Samrat said that vehicle owners are already facing economic pressure due to operational challenges.

"When people are paying for petrol and the government increases the price of this fuel, why are we getting blended petrol?" he said, "The regulatory operational challenges are increasing our economic burden."

The Association stated that the aim of their protest march is to demand an independent scientific review of the ethanol blending policy. They said that this review should include vehicle owners, consumers, transport operators, automobile manufacturers, and technical experts.