Opposing the Shakti scheme, which offers free rides for women in non-premium bus services of the road transport corporations (RTCs), 23 private transport unions and federations have decided to call for a Bengaluru bandh, where no autorickshaws, taxis, and private buses will ply for 24 hours, on July 27.
Arguing that the scheme has hit them hard, they have put forth a series of demands. While autorickshaw and taxi drivers have demanded compensation, private bus owners have demanded that the government implement the Shakti scheme even in private buses too and reimburse them for tickets issued to women. Auto drivers and owners’ unions are demanding a ban on illegal bike taxis across the city. They also want to ban aggregators who charge more than 5% commission of the total fare.
The unions plan to take out a rally from Sangolli Rayanna Circle to Freedom Park at 10.30 a.m. and stage a protest there till 7 p.m. “Private buses plying to and from other States and parts of Karnataka will not reach or leave Bengaluru on July 27,” said S. Natraj Sharma, president, Karnataka State Private Transport Associations.
The union claims that the government has neglected the private transport sector for a long time and the implementation of the Shakti scheme is another step in the same direction. Radhakrishna Holla, president of the Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association, said, “The private sector provides employment to around 20 lakh people. A total of ₹2,000 crore is paid in taxes every year. But with the implementation of the Shakti scheme, the government has abandoned the self-employed lower middle-class people like auto and taxi drivers. Many of them are not able to support their families or pay vehicle and house rent.”
“We want a monthly compensation subsidy of ₹10,000 for auto drivers who are suffering financial losses due to the Shakti scheme. A loan facility of up to ₹2 lakh in easy instalments for drivers under low-interest rates should be provided,” the unions said.
