Automen across Maharashtra on Monday staged protests demanding cancellation of the late fee for renewal of vehicle fitness certificates, threatening a state-wide mega protest if their demand is not met within the next fifteen days.

“Monday’s protests were organised by autorickshaw drivers in many districts across the state and submitted our petitions to the RTO office/collector office there. The protests were held at Nagpur, Wardha, Gondia, Bhandara, Akola, Yavatmal, Sangli, Jalgaon, Baramati, Daund, Indapur, Nanded, Aurangabad, Poona, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and, Latur. Lending support to the automen, rickshaw puller owners took out processions to the RTO office/collector office and made statements,” Mumbai automen’s union leader Shashank Sharad Rao said.