In a move to express their discontent with the free bus travel scheme for women in Karnataka, private transport owners are gearing up to stage a bandh on September 11. The free bus travel scheme for women, known as 'Shakti,' implemented by the current Congress government, is believed to have adversely affected their business interests. A total of 32 transport unions have come forward to voice their grievances.
During the planned bandh, nearly nine lakh private commercial vehicles, including auto rickshaws, airport taxis, maxi cabs, corporate vehicles, and buses, will remain off the streets. The members of these unions have organised a protest march, which will commence from KSR Bengaluru Railway Station and culminate at Freedom Park. Their list of demands includes financial aid of Rs 10,000 for each driver, a ban on bike taxis, a complete prohibition on app-based aggregators, the establishment of a corporation to support unorganised commercial drivers, scholarships for the children of drivers, access to loans with low interest rates, and various other requests.
Previously, the transport unions had engaged in discussions with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on July 24, just days before their initially planned protest on July 27. Following Reddy's assurance that 28 out of their 30 demands would be addressed by August, the federation had called off their protest. However, due to a lack of responsiveness from the transport department, the federation has now decided to proceed with the city-wide bandh. However, Ramalinga Reddy said that he had scheduled a meeting with the Chief Minister, but the federation failed to attend, while other transport organisations were present.