Bengaluru entrepreneur claims Mumbai auto driver earns Rs 5 lakh monthly without driving. Harsh Goenka reacts

Harsh Goenka’s endorsement of the driver’s so-called 'jugaad' fuelled further discussion.

Industrialist Harsh Goenka weighed in on a viral post claiming that a Mumbai-based autorickshaw driver has built a lucrative business by charging people to hold their bags outside the US Consulate, earning as much as Rs 8 lakh per month. The post, originally shared on LinkedIn by Bengaluru entrepreneur and VenueMonk co-founder Rahul Rupani, has triggered intense debate online — ranging from praise for the driver’s ingenuity to questions about the legality and ethics of the operation.

According to Rupani, the driver — identified as Ashok — began charging Rs 1,000 per customer to store luggage for visa applicants who are prohibited from carrying bags or mobile phones into the US Consulate in Mumbai.

“I was outside the US Consulate this week for my visa appointment, when security told me I couldn’t carry my bag inside. No lockers. No suggestions. Just: ‘Figure it out.’ While I stood clueless on the footpath, an auto driver waved at me: ‘Sir, bag de do. Safe rakhunga, mera roz ka hai. Rs 1,000 charge hai (Sir, give me your bag, I will keep it safe, this is my job. I will charge Rs 1,000).' I hesitated. Then gave in. And that’s when I discovered this guy’s brilliant business,” Rupani wrote in his viral LinkedIn post.

He went on to estimate that Ashok now earns between Rs 5 to Rs 8 lakh per month offering this unofficial storage service to visa applicants. The post quickly gained traction on social media, catching the attention of RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Goenka remarked, “A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate—the no-phone, no-bag rule—and had a genius idea. He started charging Rs 1,000 to hold people’s bags outside the US Consulate. Today, Ashok earns Rs 8 lakh a month just by offering ‘bag-holding’ service. No app. No MBA. Just pure Indian jugaad.”

A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate- the no-phone, no-bag rule- and had a genius idea.He started charging 1,000 to hold peoples bags outside the US Consulate. Today, Ashok earns 8 lakh a month just by offering bag-holding service.No app. No pic.twitter.com/GIwuzEj785

Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) June 9, 2025

Goenka’s endorsement of the driver’s so-called “jugaad” — a colloquial term referring to frugal innovation or creative problem-solving — fuelled further discussion, with the story also being shared by content platforms such as Humans of Bombay on Instagram.

The online reactions, however, were mixed. While some hailed the driver’s initiative as a smart entrepreneurial move, others questioned the safety and legality of such an informal arrangement.

“What an innovative idea... With such ideas, there is nothing that you can't achieve,” one user wrote. Another commented, “How come no competition for him yet? A vanity van offering lounge kind of services along with baggage holding service will be the next level.”

However, scepticism was just as prominent. One user remarked, “I can't believe the people gave their bag containing valuables to a Rikshawalla. Unlike a shopkeeper, a Rikshawalla could elope with the valuables.” Another claimed, “There is a locker facility inside the consulate. You can put your mobiles and bags in it. I have done this when I was there for a visitor's visa.”

The post also prompted concerns over the legality of Ashok’s operation. Some labelled it “unethical,” while others asked whether any regulatory action had been taken or whether authorities were even aware of the service.

Meanwhile, Moneycontrol.com could not independently verify the claims made by either Rupani or Goenka regarding the earnings or the existence of such a service.