Bengaluru transport strike: Unions say transport department singing different tune now
There are sharp differences between what transport minister Ramalinga Reddy had agreed to in public at the site of the dharna, and in the proceedings recorded by the Transport department.
Federation of private transport association president S Natraj Sharma said, “The implementation dates have not yet been announced, nor have they said when the special Advocate General will be appointed,” he said. He added that the proceedings did not mention when “unlicensed apps” like porter, uncle would be closed, which was one of the demands of the protestors.
Among the federation’s other demands was that the aggregators be barred from directly enrolling e-rickshaws without permit, and to make permits a must for e-rickshaws.
The transport department had said on Monday that it had written to the Centre to do away with the exemption it has given.
Transport federations had taken out a massive protest in Bengaluru on Monday, demanding the transport department fulfill their long-pending demands. The strike affected several parts of Bengaluru as members of about 36 unions voluntarily participated as well as enforced on those who defied the bandh call.
They later took a huge march from the railway station to Freedom Park, where they staged a dharna.
The catalyst for the dissatisfaction was the government’s Shakti scheme, providing free bus rides to women in state-run buses. The program was one of the Congress’ tall pre-poll promises that led to its landslide victory in the assembly polls this May.
Private transport owners rose up in outrage against the scheme when it began in June, saying it was causing them up to 40% revenue loss.
