Bengaluru Bandh Live Updates: The Bengaluru traffic police has issued a traffic advisory. (file)
New Delhi:
The Karnataka State Private Vehicles Owner Association has called for a Bandh in Bengaluru city opposing the Shakti scheme — one of the five pre-election guarantees of the ruling Congress, which provides free travel to women on government buses. The private transport operators say that the scheme eats into their profit.
The federation comprises a total of 32 private transport associations, and most of the private transport services are unlikely to be available during the strike. The Bengaluru Airport Authority has also advised passengers to make necessary arrangements to reach the airport on time in view of bandh.
Duration of the strike
The private bus, taxi, and auto unions have called for a shut-down from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight. The Bengaluru traffic police has issued a traffic advisory for the public to plan accordingly.
Why are private transporters protesting?
The federation has called for bandh seeking a ban on bike taxis, and urging the government to extend the Shakti scheme to private buses as well, among other demands.
The private transporters have claimed that they have been negatively impacted by the Shakti scheme and that the state government has not fulfilled their demands despite repeated discussions.
Transport Minister’s response
State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the private transport union is demanding Rs 1,000 crore as compensation. “Some issues are in the High Court and Supreme Court…Things which I can solve, I have taken actions on that,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
The state government’s backup plan
The Karnataka Transport Department has made alternate arrangements to tackle the Bandh. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Sunday said the state transport department is preparing to operate numerous buses on the bandh day.
He assured that Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses have been arranged to avoid any inconvenience to the public.
“We have arranged BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses for school-going children, office-going people and for those who’re going to hospitals. BMTC has arranged around 500 extra buses. Nothing will happen. They (private transport) are going for a strike, let them, they have the right to do so,” Mr Reddy said.
The transport minister has reportedly instructed officials to run government buses on the routes to schools and colleges in Bengaluru.
He also directed that more buses should be arranged near hospitals so that patients do not face any problem.
Police tighten security
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that adequate security arrangements have been made across the city as a precautionary measure to tackle any untoward incident, news agency PTI reported.
“All our officials including senior officers are on patrolling, and we have also used a sufficient number of tracking forces at all the strategic locations. We have also spoken to the associations who are participating in the strike. They would be assembling at Freedom Park, where the protest will be held,” he said.
“Whoever wants to stay away from the road can stay off, but they cannot force anybody to stay off the road. We have given instructions and if anyone indulges in any kind of mischief, we will take strong action,” he added.
Lakhs of vehicles to be impacted
About 7 to10 lakh vehicles including autos, taxis, airport taxis, maxi cabs, goods vehicles, school vehicles, also stage carriages, contract carriages and corporate buses, will go off the roads tomorrow, S Nataraj Sharma, president of the federation said.
