Around 10 lakh private vehicles including auto-rickshaws, taxis and school vans are likely to stay off the road on 11 September.
Karnataka State Private Transport Association has called for one-day bandh of Bengaluru City on 11 September. (South First)
The Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Association has called for a bandh in Bengaluru on 11 September, protesting against the government’s failure to meet its 30 demands by 31 August.
Autorickshaw, taxi, airport taxi, school van, and other private vehicle associations have pledged support for the bandh. Around 10 lakh vehicles are likely to stay off the roads on 11 September.
Expressing the government’s willingness to hold talks with the federation, Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy said all their demands, such as a ban on bike taxis, could not be met since they were under judicial review.
He directed the authorities concerned to ensure proper public transport so that the bandh would not inconvenience the common man.
The transporters pointed out that the Shakti scheme — providing free travel for women on non-luxury, government-owned buses across the state — resulted in a more than 40 percent decline in their daily revenue.
The scheme, launched on 11 July, was one of the five guarantees the Congress had made to the people ahead of the May Assembly elections.
The transporters’ body had initially called for a bandh on 27 July. However, after Minister Reddy assured it of fulfilling 28 out of the 30 demands, the strike was put on hold after setting a deadline of 31 August.
Suspension of bike taxis, regulating cab aggregators, financial assistance for the loss being incurred due to the Shakti scheme were among the demands.
“We have raised 30 demands before the minister. Among them, two are related to the Finance Department and remaining to the transport and other departments.” Karnataka State Private Transport Association President Natraj Sharma told South First.
“In July, the transport minister assured us of addressing our grievances and meeting our demands. The government had asked for a month’s time. We gave time till 31 August. Since the government failed to keep its word, we have called for the bandh in Bengaluru city,” he added.
“Autorickshaws and taxis are incurring severe losses due to bike taxis and taxi aggregators. We are demanding that the state government ban bike taxis as they are being operated illegally and making a direct impact on the earnings of autos,” Sharma said.
“Taxi aggregators, such as Ola and Uber, are looting auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers. The government has to regulate these aggregators in the interest of auto and taxi drivers,” he demanded.
“As per the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016, aggregators could take only five percent commission. In reality, the aggregators are taking commissions of up to 45 percent,” he claimed.
“We have demanded the government regulate this commission and pricing, but have not received any response till date. The auto and taxi operators are yet to recover from adverse impact of Covid-19,” Sharma pointed out.
Stating that Shakti scheme has impacted their revenue, Sharma said, “Ever since Shakti scheme has been introduced, the auto and taxi operators are incurring around 40 percent loss every day.”
“If the business continues as it is like now, it will be difficult to live in the state capital. The government has been making only oral assurances but has not acted to help our community. Hence, we called for the bandh,” Sharma explained.
Minister Reddy said that the state government was ready to talk with the private operators.
“The private operators have sought financial relief, which comes under the purview of the chief minister, who holds the finance portfolio,” he told reporters.
“Some of their demands — such as ban on bike taxis and regulating commission and pricing of taxi aggregators — are under judicial review. We cannot comment on these aspects. The government is committed to meet most of their demands,” the minister said.
“Barring the demands that are under judicial purview, the government is open for talks with the various transport associations. They can still approach and detail their grievances. Their demands will be fulfilled only after holding discussions with the chief minister,” he added.
He blamed the private operators for not attending a meeting with the chief minister. “Many private transport associations did not attend the chief minister’s meeting on 21 August,” he said.
“But our government is committed to fulfilling the demands of the private transport bodies. I have also directed the authorities concerned to ensure smooth and proper operations of public transport services without causing any inconvenience to the public on 11 September,” he further said.
Responding to the minister, the federation said not all associations were invited to the meeting. “The invitation was extended only to five to six associations, who are either weak or aligned to the Congress. We were not invited,” he claimed.
“The minister himself can address most of our grievances if he has political will. We approached the minister over the phone before declaring bandh, but he did not respond. If the government fails to fulfill our demands, we will launch a state-wide protest in the coming days,” he warned.
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