Autorickshaw drivers go on strike in Bengaluru against 'illegal' bike taxis

Autorickshaw drivers in Bengaluru will go on a strike on Monday in protest against private bike taxi aggregators functioning in the city.

According to Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union president M Manjunath, over two lakh autorickshaws will remain off roads starting from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight.

The union has one of the largest membership of autorickshaw drivers in Karnataka's state capital.

The autorickshaw drivers will also take out a march from Bengaluru City Railway Station to the Chief Minister's House.

"We will observe a 24-hour strike starting from Sunday midnight. Our agitation is against the illegal operation of bike taxis operating in the city," Manjunath told PTI.

He claimed the state transport department viewed bike taxis as illegal but yet the drivers are operating on the city roads with impunity.

Manjunath also said 21 autorickshaw drivers' associations have come together against the bike taxis.

Recently, a video had gone viral of an autorickshaw driver smashing a bike taxi driver's mobile phone at a major intersection in the city over the alleged illegal use of such services.

Autorickshaw drivers and bike taxis have been competing for space on Bengaluru's roads to gain customers.