Mumbai, India–In the past month, Mumbai-based autorickshaw driver Siddheshwar Yadav’s average monthly income has dipped 40 percent, hit by a combination of surging fuel bills and autorickshaw rents, as hikes in petroleum and diesel prices take inflation in India to a crippling, 15-month high.
Even after putting in a 12-hour shift every day of the month, Yadav’s monthly income has dropped to 9,000 rupees ($118) from 15,000 rupees ($196.8). With the government prohibiting drivers from raising meter fares and many commuters switching to public transport to save a few rupees, Yadav is one of many drivers who has seen his income plummet even as all other costs increase.
