Bengaluru private transporters call off strike after talks with transport minister

The strike has been called off following assurances made by the Transport Minister.

Bengaluru's private transport associations called off their strike on September 11 afternoon after transport minister B Ramalinga Reddy assured to look into their demands, the Federation of Private Transport Associations said, a relief for residents who struggled to get to work and move about.

The decision came soon after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the transport minister had heard the demands but “impossible demands” couldn't be met.

"We will establish a welfare board for drivers and also take steps to set up an Indira canteen at the airport. The government will soon introduce an app since Ola-Uber are taking more than half of the earnings of drivers. We will also take steps to vacate the stay issued by the high court in the Rapido (bike taxi) case in 2021,” Reddy said. He also assured them the government would initiate the provision of low-interest loans.

India's tech capital Bengaluru faced a shortage of app-based cabs and auto-rickshaws as thousands of drivers joined the strike. Many passengers complained of a shortage of app-based cabs, including Ola and Uber.

Federation president S Nataraj Sharma said they decided to withdraw the strike following the minister’s assurances. "However, we will go on a hunger strike in front of the transport department office until we receive a written guarantee from the minister by September 12".

The minister assured that the government would implement 27 of their 32 demands at the earliest.

Reddy said the government wouldn't be able to meet the demands  for the withdrawal of the Shakti scheme (free bus travel for women passengers), Rs 10,000 monthly financial assistance to auto drivers and exemption of lifetime tax on vehicles costing between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh

Sharma claimed that the strike was a success. "All private transporters in the city participated in the strike. Most roads were empty, and there were no airport taxis available for passengers."

The federation had sought a ban on bike taxis and also said that they had been impacted by the Shakti scheme. They called on the government to extend the free bus ride scheme to private buses as well.

Stranded 

Lakshmi S, a techie and a resident of Indiranagar, was stranded due to the strike.  "I was trying to book a cab to Majestic, but nobody was accepting rides, and they said they cannot go to the CBD area due to the protest. So, finally, one of my friends dropped me at Indiranagar metro station, and I reached my location by metro," he said.

Fares surged due to high demand. Ola and Uber were not immediately available for comment.

Earlier in the day, protesters deflated tyres of cabs and auto-rickshaws that were plying. They hurled abuses and physically confronted drivers who chose to defy the strike call.

At Freedom Park, protesters booked a bike taxi, and when the captain arrived near where they were protesting, they deflated the tire of the biker. In Banaswadi, another group of protesters thrashed a bike taxi driver and damaged the vehicle. On the Anand Rao Circle flyover, a bike taxi rider was assaulted by protesters. Rapido was unavailable for comment.

For several IT firms, it was business as usual because of hybrid work and company buses. Several private schools though were forced to declare a holiday due to the strike, with some opting for online classes.