They also cancelled a dharna supposed to be held outside the railway station, saying that the minister had assured them they would not be ``harassed'' if they did not adulterate fuel and dupe passengers, and maintained necessary papers related to vehicle tax, PUC, licence and meter card.

Rana had also told them that they should not expect his assistance unless they agreed to follow rules and guidelines, they said.

Interestingly, the minister is reported to have told the delegation that they could charge passengers either at the meter or the shuttle rates -- whichever the passengers demanded -- but that they would have to activate the meters as soon as a trip began.

The bone of contention between the police and the rickshaw unions was the matter of plying by meter only. With this, the scales seem to be tilting in favour of the rickshaw unions.

Sources close to the Union minister and conversant with today's meeting told Express Newsline that the minister briefed city police commissioner Kuldip Sharma about the meeting and asked him to be ``practical''.``Let those who want to go by the shuttle system continue that way,'' he is reported to have told Sharma. Rana himself was not available for comment.

``We have decided to organise a meeting between Rana, police officials and union leaders soon to sort out the issue. But his assurances and demands are acceptable to us and we have decided to call off the stir'', convener Mahesh Master said. He confirmed that Rana had spoken to Sharma over the phone while the delegation was present.

``Rana told him to allow rickshaws to ply by both the meter and the shuttle system and the commissioner has agreed to the suggestion,'' Master said.