The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Autorickshaw strike puts extra pressure on BMTC

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Saturday, Jan 12, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Autorickshaw strike puts extra pressure on BMTC

Staff Reporter

Auto drivers are demanding revision of fares

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Day off: Many autorickshaws seen parked near Magadi Road in Bangalore on Friday. A large number of autorickshaws did not hit the road following a strike call given by the drivers’ union seeking increase in fare.

BANGALORE: Thousands of Bangaloreans faced difficulty on Friday as autorickshaws kept off the road following a bandh call given by the drivers’ union seeking revision of fares. Even though the BMTC ran over 300 additional buses, it did not lessen the problems of people.

The fares were revised at the Regional Transport Authority meeting on March 15, 2006, and it was agreed that no revision would be sought till the auto LPG price touched Rs. 40 a litre.

Auto LPG price touched Rs. 35.38 a litre this month. The Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union, affiliated to Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU), has been demanding the upward revision.

The dawn-to-dusk bandh affected hundreds of passengers arriving in the city by bus and train early in the morning, as they were caught unawares.

While some managed to hire taxis to reach their destination, a large number of them boarded BMTC buses. Those depending on autorickshaw to commuter to office also suffered. They had to take either taxis or travel by crowded BMTC buses.

Because of the strike, it proved to be a pleasurable ride for a large number of two-wheeler riders and four-wheelers.

Deepti, a college student, had a harrowing experience. When and her friends boarded an autorickshaw at Indiranagar, some autorickshaw drivers who were on strike in Cantonment area forced Deepti’s autorickshaw driver to ask the passengers to get down and to join the strike. Eventually, she had to call one of her friends to get dropped at her destination.

A first-time traveller by BMTC, Ramachandra Rao, a senior citizen had to purchase a day pass. Mr. Rao, a regular commuter by autorickshaw said: “It’s a new experience and I can also save some money.”

Differences

Though other unions — Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union, Bangalore Auto Drivers’ Union and Jai Bhuvaneshwari Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union — too demanded fare revision, they sought the minimum fare to be hiked to Rs. 15 and per km fare increased to Rs. 15. They had even asked their members not to participate in the strike.

However, many drivers affiliated to these unions said they had to participate in the strike out of fear.

To cater to the needs of autorickshaw passengers, the BMTC cancelled routine maintenance of its buses and deployed them on the roads. In all, more than 300 extra buses were operated by the corporation, according to its Director (Security and Vigilance) P.S. Sandhu.

More buses and less traffic on roads helped the corporation to do 3,000 extra trips on Friday.

The corporation also deployed 75 extra buses for the night service, Mr. Sandhu added.

Meanwhile, members of ARDU took out a procession from Hudson Circle to the Deputy Commissioner (Bangalore Urban) office and submitted a memorandum to the Special Deputy Commissioner C. Rame Gowda.

Mr. Gowda assured the delegation that the demand would be considered at a meeting on January 14.

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