Bengaluru : The ongoing conflict between auto-rickshaw drivers and bike taxi operators in Bengaluru persists despite the government’s prohibition on electric bike taxi services in the state. A recent episode involved a group of auto drivers reportedly intimidating a man against utilizing a bike taxi service and even issuing threats to the bike taxi operator.
A well-known Bengaluru weather commentator, renowned for his regular weather forecasts on social media, recounted his experience on a public platform. He recounted, “Upon exiting the metro station, I had arranged for a bike taxi through the @rapidobikeapp. However, as the electric bike taxi arrived to pick me up, auto drivers began hurling insults and forcibly drove the rider away. Recognizing the ban on electric bike taxis in the city, I rebooked through Rapido and was provided with a conventional Honda bike. Nevertheless, upon the arrival of the new rider, auto drivers once again intervened, pressuring him to cancel the ride and preventing me from proceeding.”
Despite opting for a non-electric bike taxi for his next attempt, the weatherman alleged further interference from auto drivers. He elaborated, “Even as the rider arrived and we prepared to depart, the auto drivers returned, forcibly removing me from the bike and resorting to verbal abuse. Despite my attempts to explain that only electric bike taxis were banned, they disregarded this, asserting their own authority. They also obstructed my attempts to document the situation with videos and photos.” Urging the Bengaluru police to safeguard the interests of citizens utilizing bike taxi services, he called for action against the disruptive auto drivers.
The prohibition of bike taxis has been a primary demand of auto-rickshaw unions in Bengaluru, with numerous instances of auto drivers assaulting bike taxi operators reported in the past.
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