They plan to drive up to the Prime Minister's office to oppose their eviction from Delhi's roads

Last ride for tongawallahs?

They plan to drive up to the Prime Minister's office to oppose their eviction from Delhi's roads

The Walled City's slow-moving old-world carriages are all set to become history, but the owners are in no mood to give up. On Saturday, the MCD razed the tonga stable at Turkman Gate and is ready to remove other stables in various parts of the city. The administration has decided that the livelihood of these tongawallahs has become an eyesore.

no horse sense? Tongawallahs are furious over MCD's decision. pic/mid day

Now these people have decided to ride their tongas from Turkman Gate in the Walled City to the Prime Minister's office to register their protest, hoping that some horse sense would prevail. And they are not alone; LJP leader and local MLA Shoiab Iqbal has extended his support to them and is going to lead the protest.

"Tongas have been our source of livelihood for decades now. We can not think of any other trade at this point of time. It would require a lot of money," said Mohammad Zahid, a tonga owner.u00a0u00a0u00a0

The tonga stand at Turkman gate was home to about 150 tongawallahs. The MCD says, there are 230 tongawallas in the city, based at Minto Road, Hauz Qazi and Kauriya Bridge and some other parts of Delhi. The civic body had earlier announced a Rs 35 lakh rehabilitation scheme for the owners.

The MCD says its action is justified as the tongawallahs had no licence to operate any more. "We had given then prior notice and their licenses were not renewed. We are working out a plan to allot an affordable model of e-rickshaws to the tongawallahs," said an MCD official.

However, the tongawallas are not ready to accept this argument. They are going for a protest March on Tuesday. "Tongas have a log association with the Walled City. Above all it is related to livelihood of hundreds of people. I am going to lead the protest March on Tuesday from Turkman Gate to the Prime Minister's Office on tongas. I hope the administration wakes up from its slumber," said Shoiab Iqbal, local MLA and LJP leader.

The tongawallas along with the local MLA also carried out a protest March on Monday in the Walled City.