Private transport operators relent on bandh call after meeting with transport minister

BENGALURU: The private transporters’ association, which had given a bandh call on July 27 has put it off after a meeting with Transport Mininister Ramalinga Reddy today. Of their 30 demands, the minister has offered to look into 28 of them and has even promised a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the first or second week of August.

Ramalinga Reddy said he will give the unions more clarity on their demands by next Monday and urged them to drop their bandh plan. He said he will discuss about the impact of the Shakti scheme on other transporters with the CM and promised to do everything to fulfill their demands.

There was some commotion during the meeting.

“As regards some of your demands, you will have to wait for some time”, he told representatives of the unions who were present at the meeting held at the Transport Department office in Shantinagar.

Suresh Nayak, the president of the private bus owners federation said the government should draft private buses for the Shakti free travel scheme for women on routes not serviced by KSRTC and warned that they would have to shut business within a year if they are not given relief. The private bus operators also sought action against aggregator MakeMyTrip for allegedly charging 30-40 per cent commission and wanted taxes on tourist buses reduced.

Ramalinga Reddy pacified the participants himself.

The autorickshaw drivers unions sought Rs 10,000 as monthly aid to autorickshaw drivers and action against bike taxi aggregator Rapido. The minister told them that the Rapido case is in court and the government would make efforts to get the stay vacated. He also promised support if Rapido files cases against auto drivers.

There was some commotion at the meeting when Tanveer Pasha, the president of the Ola-Uber drivers union arrived at the meeting. The others opposed his presence as the union had not extended support to the bandh. The minister had a tough time pacifying the participants at the meeting.

Ramalinga Reddy said representatives of 35 unions took part in the meeting and added that another round of meeting will be held separately with autorickshaw, bus and taxi operator for two hours each next Monday.