Drivers protest proposed `ban'

Drivers protest proposed `ban'

The Hindu

Say Government has not sought their opinion

# Autos are already banned on Commercial Street
# Auto drivers to hold protest on October 15
# There are close to 80,000 autos in the city

BANGALORE: The State Government's reported move to ban autorickshaws within a five-km radius of the Vidhana Soudha has been opposed by autorickshaw drivers.

Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union has decided to protest against the move, supported by the traffic police to turn the central business district into a "no-auto" zone.

If the proposed plan is enforced, most of the busy areas such as Mahatma Gandhi Road, Brigade Road (where autos are already partially banned), St. Mark's Road, Residency Road and Richmond Road will not have autos. They are already banned on Commercial Street, but allowed on parallel roads.

Adarsha Union president M. Manjunath said the plan is unfair because no opinion has been sought from auto drivers whose livelihood will be badly affected.

"We will hold a protest on October 15 for both our sake and those of the commuters who will be affected," Mr. Manjunath said.

The union is upset that the Government has remained indifferent to its request on increasing the number of LPG dispending points in the wake of new autos required to be fitted with gas conversion kits.