Autorickshaw services likely to be hit today

Autorickshaw drivers in the city are observing a strike for 24 hours seeking a ban on illegal bike taxis

Autorickshaw services in the city are likely to be affected today as over 20 auto drivers’ unions, under the banner of Bangalore Auto Drivers Unions’ Federation, have decided to observe a 24-hour strike with effect from midnight on Sunday.

The federation has been demanding that the State government ban bike taxi services offered by mobile app-based aggregators in the city. Drivers allege that aggregators are providing “illegal “bike taxi services without obtaining any license from the Transport Department and attaching white boards two-wheelers (meant for personal use) by luring the youth. Drivers allege that in the city for decades, lakhs of families rely on income generated by running autorickshaws and the illegal bike taxi business is eating into their revenue.

M. Manjunath of the Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers‘ Union said, “In the city, there are around 2.1 lakh autos. We have been running autos by obtaining permits from the Transport Department. On other hand, the department has allowed the aggregators to provide bike taxi services without any license. Because of this, drivers are suffering in the city. We want the State government to initiate action against the aggregators running illegal businesses. Already many governments in Maharashtra, Delhi and others have imposed a ban, we want Karnataka to do the same to protect the interest of auto drivers.” Mr. Manjunath said that 21 auto drivers unions in the city are supporting the strike call.

On Monday, drivers will submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding an immediate ban on bike taxis after taking out a rally from KSR Bengaluru Railway station to the official residence of CM on Race Course Road.

On the demands of auto drivers, Transport Commissioner S.N. Siddaramappa had said, “The issue related to aggregators is pending before the Karnataka High Court. The court had earlier directed the department not to take any coercive action.”

Meanwhile, those who have attached two-wheelers with aggregators staged a protest at Freedom Park against harassment by auto drivers. 

Sandeep (name changed), a bike taxi rider, said, “It has been five years that I have been earning my livelihood by riding a bike taxi. Like me, there are thousands of people who have attached their bikes to the aggregators. We often become targets of auto drivers for riding bike taxis. If the bike taxi business is illegal, the departments concerned should take action against the service providers. Why are the auto drivers targeting us? We too have families like them. There are many instances of autorickshaw drivers harassing bike taxi riders by snatching their mobiles and destroying their helmets. These kinds of harassment should stop.”