Private transporters call off bandh after talks with minister Ramalinga Reddy

BENGALURU: Private transporters, who had called for a Bengaluru bandh on Monday, called off their protest late on Monday afternoon after Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy met representatives of the 32 unions at Freedom Park. The bandh had been called from midnight on Monday to midnight on Tuesday.

Autorickshaws were also back on the roads on Monday afternoon.

After meeting the minister, the private transporters federation president Nagaraj Sharma announced that they are withdrawing their protest. “The minister has come to the protest venue and has assured us that our demands will be met. Hence, we are withdrawing our protest”, he said.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy met the protesters at Freedom Park.

Prior to this, Ramalinga Reddy, who spoke to representatives of the 32 unions of autorickshaw and taxi drivers, “You have claimed that the Shakti scheme and the lifetime tax proposal have created problems for you. All other demands of yours have been placed before the government. I had assured that I will fulfill your demands and I will do it”.

Goods vehicles also started plying by late afternoon.

Reddy said the government will set up a separate development corporation for drivers, start Indira Canteen at the airport and also launch its own aggregator apps. “The demand for loans at low interest rates can be taken up once the development corporation for drivers is set up. On the demand regarding permits for yellow registration board vehicles, it is the Centre’s lookout. The demands of the taxi owners’ association has been placed before the chief minister”, he added.

The minister pointed out that the issues concerning taxi aggregators and Rapido bike taxis is pending before the high court. If aggregator apps are functioning illegally, the government will take legal action, he added.

“We will apppoint a senior advocate and get the stay order vacated. As regards housing for auto and taxi drivers, I will discuss with Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan. Already, Rs 17 crore has been set aside for educational purposes of the children of drivers. On roping in private buses under the Shakti scheme, I will have a discussion with the managing directors of the road transport corporations”, he said.

Earlier in the day, the protesting transporters’ unions forcefully stopped autorickshaws and taxis that were plying. They deflated tyres, slashed the tyre of a Toyota Innova taxi, smashed an egg on the head of a taxi driver in Hebbal, harassed a Rapido rider, broke windscreens of some cars among several such incident in different parts of the city.