ANALYSIS OF SUSTENTATION OF AUTO RICKSHAW DRIVER DURING COVID-19 LOCK DOWN

Since eons, these people are the pedestal for making transportation a trouble-free trade for hundreds and thousands of passengers traveling for various tasks and pursuits, the cheapest transport providers, the auto-rickshaw drivers. Though readily available and most serviceable, the auto drivers encounter numerous ups and downs in daily lives, struggling to make the most for their livelihood. Economic, mental, and physical stresses are predominant amongst the auto-rickshaw fraternity all over India. However, the situation has worsened by the abrupt outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic all over the globe. The novel coronavirus has dismantled the only staff of life for auto-rickshaw drivers, which is traveling. Data collection was carried out through questionnaire and structured analysis was done to study the effects of COVID-19 shut down on the living of Auto drivers, which includes financial, emotional and mental challenges they might face due to loss of employment and other tools (especially mobile applications) they have been using to make their earnings better. The study uses Chi2 test to analyze impact on earnings by the use of mobile application for auto drivers as well as recovery time from the loss bared during pandemic, if any aids are made available to them from any government or nongovernment agencies. It emphasizes on importance of phycological security among the autorickshaw society. The distribution of ration done by a University at Vadodara city served as an impetus for the authors to study the said title as they touched the life of this forgotten mass while serving them.