Pune: Autorickshaws have become a popular campaign tool for candidates seeking quick and wide voter outreach amid tight schedules. This election, the method has evolved with the use of GPS tracking, Bluetooth loudspeakers and LED display boards, making rickshaw-based campaigning more organised and effective.On average, candidates spend between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 per autorickshaw per day. Auto unions and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) are also playing a role in regulating and managing these campaigns.According to operators, the charges primarily cover the driver’s remuneration, while additional costs, such as battery usage, fuel, dearness allowance and other operational expenses, are levied by some service providers.“The demand is good. Candidates from different parties, including independents, are using this facility to reach their core voters. The candidates receive positive feedback from voters, and the method is very cost-effective,” said Santosh Adhav, an operator offering rickshaw campaign services.He added that several operators have increased the number of autos deployed this year compared to the previous civic polls held nearly nine years ago.Operators said routes are pre-defined, with each auto typically covering one ward for about eight hours a day, while some operate across multiple wards. GPS data is reviewed before payments are released, which are usually made on a daily basis. The tracking ensures that the vehicles keep moving rather than remaining stationary for long periods.Shafiq Patel, president of the Kondhwa-based Azad Rickshaw Chalak Sanghatna, said candidates in his area hired an average of seven to eight autorickshaws each. “I can’t speak for other parts of the city, but the bookings here were impressive. For drivers, too, it’s a decent income without being very hectic,” Patel said.He said duty hours generally run from 9am to 9pm, with a two-hour afternoon break. Drivers earn between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500 per day.Autorickshaw driver Shammu Shaikh, who moved across designated areas of ward 19 in Kondhwa, said he was hired by a Congress candidate. “I am getting Rs 1,200 per day. I knew the candidate as he lived near my house and contacted me directly. My work starts at 9am and ends at 9pm. All permissions from the RTO were taken,” Shaikh said.Pune RTO officials were contacted to ascertain the total number of vehicles deployed for campaigning by various candidates. However, a response was awaited at the time of going to press.Meanwhile, Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Baghtoy Rickshawaala Union, which operates across several parts of the city, said the numbers appeared lower than expected so far. “We are not sure of the reason, but bookings usually spike in the final week,” he said. “Still, the figures are higher than the assembly elections since these are local polls. At present, around 1,500 autorickshaws may be engaged in campaigning,” he told TOI.Another auto driver, Shankar Barve from Lohegaon, said the work was preferable to his regular routine. “I am being paid Rs 1,400 per day, and the candidate’s associates keep checking to ensure I am on the move. They ask for my location frequently and sometimes accompany me. I like the work,” Barve said.
