Bengaluru rickshaw drivers call strike against ‘Illegal’ bike taxis, 2 Lakh autos off streets today

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Bengaluru, Mar 20, 2023: Auto rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru have called a strike today to protest against private bike taxi aggregators operating in the city.

According to Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union president M Manjunath, over two lakh autorickshaws will remain off the roads till Monday midnight. In Karnataka’s state capital, the union has one of the largest memberships.

 

Autorickshaw drivers are scheduled to stage a protest march from Bengaluru City Railway Station to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s residence.

According to Manjunath, 21 autorickshaw drivers’ associations have come together against bike taxis.

“We will observe a 24-hour strike starting from Sunday midnight. Our agitation is against the illegal operation of bike taxis operating in the city," Manjunath told PTI.

Auto Drivers’ Demands

Demanding ban on Bike taxis, members of multiple auto unions staged a protest at the KSR Railway station in Bengaluru.

Auto drivers waved black flags and raised slogans against CM Bommai and the Karnataka government.

Protesters claimed that they would stage a gherao at CM Bommai’s residence later in the day to urge the government to ban bike taxis in the city.

Auto driver unions claim that the state transport department views bike taxis as illegal but yet the drivers are operating on city roads with impunity.

Earlier this month, a video of an altercation between an autorickshaw driver and a bike taxi driver went viral on social media, drawing a response from Bengaluru City Police.

In the video, an autorickshaw was seen smashing the mobile phone of a bike taxi driver in the Indiranagar area of Bengaluru city. He then delivered a monologue alleging that Rapido Bike Taxi Services have rampant illegalities. “Dear friends, this shows how many illegal Rapido bikes are plying on the streets,” he said pointing at the bike taxi driver.

Auto rickshaw drivers and bike taxis have been competing for space on Bengaluru’s roads to gain a larger customer base.