Transport minister holds meeting with auto, taxi drivers, promises resolution of issues soon

BENGALURU: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who held a meeting with the private transporters’ federation on Monday, said he has brought to the attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah the problems being faced by autorickshaw, privates bus and taxi drivers due to implementation of the Shakti free travel scheme for women.

He told representatives of the federation that they will have to await the CM’s decision on the matter. “The drivers have complained about the court stay on the Rapido bike taxi and Uber issues, app-based operators and highlighted the problems they are facing as regards vehicle insurance. They have proposed including their children under the Vidya Nidhi scheme. I will issue suitable directions in this regard”, he said.

He also said the the proposal to open an Indira Canteen at the airport will be placed before the CM and steps will be taken soon. “The transporters have highlighted the issue of vehicles being registered in other states by paying lesser taxes and we will look at reducing this. They have also suggested that the government itself launch and app and this will be considered”, he said.

There was some commotion as other groups too wanted to be part of the meeting.

Reddy assured that of the one lakh houses being built by the Karnataka Housing Board, some of them will be distributed to drivers too. The city limits will be expanded for the benefit of auto drivers, he added. “As of now, there is now proposal to increase the bus fares”, he stressed.

Earlier in the day, the minister planned to meet auto, bus and taxi drivers separately, but they insisted that since they had given the bandh call together, they should all be allowed to participate in the meeting. They highlighted the problems they are facing due to aggregators like Ola, Uber and Rapido.

Transport Department officials assured them that they would look into the decisions taken in other states and the court vedicts and consult the advocate general and take a final decision.

The auto drivers complained that they are unable to pay the school fees of their children, to which the minister suggested that they can be admitted in government schools. The officials also said the RTE admission quota can be made use of. The drivers also complained that banks have been refusing loans ever since the pandemic.

The federation said they will wait til August 12 for the government’s decision and if there is no positive response by then, they will go ahead with a bandh.