Auto strike throws City out of gear

Auto strike throws City out of gear
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Bangaloreans had a tough time on the roads on Wednesday, with about 75,000 autorickshaws taking part in a dawn-to-dusk strike called by the Left auto unions.
With employees of nationalised banks, insurance firms and post offices too joining the nationwide strike, the troubles got only worse for the citizens.

BMTC’s additional buses helped many to tide over the transportation woes. But those who engaged the autorickshaws that did not participate in the stir, had to pay hefty sums as fares.

The fleecing was widespread, with many autorickshaw drivers charging double the metre rate. The commuters had no choice but to oblige.



For the other road-users, riding was a pleasure between 6 am and 6 pm. Conspicuously absent was the usual chaos due to ricks zooming in and crisscrossing in the way of other motorists. Overcharging auto drivers were a common sight at the railway stations and the Kempegowda bus station. The police turned mute spectators as autorickshaw drivers demanded and got what they wanted from the hapless passengers.

With the Left-sponsored strike on Wednesday reported to be near total in Kerala and West Bengal, trains reaching the City from these places reported a nearly three-hour delay in arrival. Due to the impact of the delayed start by many trains from there, the trains which arrive in the City on Thursday too would be delayed, said railway sources.

BMTC gains
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) that pressed 183 additional buses into service, anticipating an extra number of bus passengers, saw about 1.2 to 2 lakh more passengers make use of its services.

M Manjunath, president, Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union summed up the day-long auto stir as total but denied that automen had gone on a fleecing spree.

Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU-CITU) general secretary B V Raghavendra also claimed the strike was total.
Several city taxis were also seen plying across the City, as they had not taken part in the strike call.

Flights not hit
The nationwide stir, however, did not affect the flight