Bengaluru Auto-rickshaw Drivers to Strike Over Illegal Bike Taxi Services

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Auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru have announced a strike on Monday to protest against bike taxis, such as Rapido, and other e-bike and whiteboard taxi services operating in the city illegally.

The Bengaluru Auto Drivers Unions’ Federation claims that bike taxis jeopardize the livelihoods of auto-rickshaw drivers and intends to stage a protest at the Majestic bus station. M Manjunath, the federation’s convener, alleges that the government has failed to take action against illegal Rapido services and has destroyed auto drivers’ livelihoods.

In addition, the bike taxi services are exploiting youngsters by offering incentives and on-boarding college students illegally. Conflicts between Rapido riders and auto-rickshaw drivers have increased in Bangalore, leading to the arrest of an auto-rickshaw driver after a viral video of him harassing a “Rapido captain” in Indiranagar.

The aggregator, which began operating without a license, has requested a stay order from the Karnataka High Court, which granted an interim relief in 2021 instructing the government not to take any coercive action against the firm.

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