'We want them banned, that's it': Bengaluru auto drivers protest against 'illegal' bike taxis

Autorickshaw drivers in India’s Silicon Valley Bengaluru on Monday launched a strike to protest against private bike taxi aggregators functioning in the city.

The strike follows as autorickshaw drivers and bike taxis have been competing for space on Bengaluru's roads to gain customers.

According to Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union president M Manjunath, over two lakh autorickshaws will remain off roads starting from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight. The union has one of the largest membership of autorickshaw drivers in Karnataka's state capital.

He claimed the state transport department viewed bike taxis as illegal, but the drivers are still operating on the city roads with impunity, according to a report by PTI.

Bengaluru's Sangolli Rayyanna railway station saw a huge protest over bike taxis operating "illegally" on the streets of Bengaluru. More than 150 auto drivers took to the streets, raising black flags, and sloganeering against the government for allowing bike taxis to ferry passengers despite having a white board.

After the protest intensified, leading to road blockage, police took the protesting auto drivers into custody.

"We want Rapido bikes to be banned, that's it. These people have hit our earnings. The education needs of our kids, provisions for homes, medicine for the elderly, everything is being crippled because of these bike taxis eating into our earnings," a woman driver said.

"We are breadwinners for our families. We just want bike taxis to be banned, and don't need suitcases worth of money from the government," she added.

"From what little we earn, we spend Rs 300 on gas alone. How can we manage? We won't even have savings for anything. If our children ask for cake or any such gifts, what can we do? We are not able to provide. If our children are ill, we are not able to afford healthcare. Rapido drivers earn Rs 1,500 per day. We barely make Rs 500, ask anyone here. They are able to afford those minimum rents. We are not able to do that," she pointed.

She also requested all auto drivers to show solidarity towards the welfare of the sector.  

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