Auto drivers' union demands ordinance to ban 'illegal' bike taxis

Bengaluru: An autorickshaw drivers' union on Monday demanded that the state government bring in an ordinance to ban bike taxis in Karnataka. 

In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union president M Manjunath demanded the ban on "illegal" bike taxis, noting that they were destroying the livelihoods of autorickshaw drivers. 

Bike taxis are once again operational in the state after the high court on January 23 directed the state to register motorcycles as transport vehicles and grant them contract carriage permits. 

The drivers' union also specified other demands from auto drivers for the 2026-27 state budget, which the chief minister is scheduled to present on March 6. 

The union demanded the establishment of an 'Unorganised Drivers’ Development Corporation' for the welfare of auto, taxi, private bus, lorry, maxicab and goods vehicle drivers. 

Besides, to help unemployed and rental auto drivers become self-reliant, the government should provide 95% loans under direct loan schemes from various caste-based development corporations for purchasing new autorickshaws, based on hypothecation, he stated. 

The price of a new electric autorickshaw is Rs 3.85 lakh. The government should announce a 50% subsidy for drivers purchasing new electric auto-rickshaws. The union also demanded a quota for drivers in the houses being built under the chief minister's housing scheme or separate colonies in all four directions of Bengaluru. 

Currently, under the Labour Department's scheme for unorganised transport sector drivers, if a driver meets with an accident while on duty, Rs 5 lakh is given to the family as accident compensation. This should be amended so that the same compensation is also applicable to drivers who die due to a heart attack while on duty. 

The government should declare a 'Drivers' Day' and revise the district-wise fixed number of drivers according to their actual number. For Bengaluru, the number should be at least 150, and arrangements should be made to announce awards and an honorarium of Rs 25,000 for honest and senior drivers, the union stated.