Commuters hit as auto drivers strike during peak hours in Bengaluru

Commuters suffered for several hours as thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers went on strike on Monday for a ban on bike taxis.

Police detained hundreds of auto drivers when they tried to march from the KSR Bengaluru railway station to the chief minister's official residence on Race Course Road around 11 am. Police let them off around 3.30 pm after the strike was withdrawn.

Drivers want the government to ban bike taxis that are running "illegally" and impacting their earnings.

C Sampath, general secretary of Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union, said that 200 to 250 autorickshaw drivers were detained, including 8 to 10 women drivers. "We were piled into BMTC buses that brought us to the CAR ground on Mysuru Road," he said.

"It seems there is no freedom to strike. We demand action against illegal bike taxis but the government is acting as if it knows nothing," said Tanveer Pasha, president of the Ola Uber Drivers and Owners' Association.

Drivers called off the strike after presenting a memorandum to the Chief Minister’s Office at 1.15 pm, said C Sampath, general secretary of Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union.

Action against Rapido

Speaking to reporters in Ballari, Transport Minister B Sriramulu promised action against Rapido bike taxis. "I will deliver good news to the auto drivers soon," he added.

By 3.30 pm, police released auto drivers and union leaders as the strike was called off. Autos were seen ferrying passengers to different parts of the city soon after.

Sampath said that if nothing changes soon, auto unions in the city will hold a meeting on Saturday to assess what they must do next.

Commuters faced the full effect of the auto strike as auto-rickshaws were scarce for most of the day.

"I couldn’t find an auto even on ride-hailing applications. Though a few autos were running on the roads, they refused to stop. I got a ride after 30 minutes, and decided to take it even though the driver asked for Rs 30 extra,” said Shradha, an engineer who waited for nearly 30 minutes at Chikkalasandra in the afternoon.

Auto-rickshaws that did accept rides demanded more money or simply refused to go the distance until they were assured of being paid the amount.

"I had no choice but to pay nearly Rs 50 extra just to get to work," said Kiran, a private firm employee.