The ongoing strike by employees of State-owned road transport corporations has resulted in a shortage of private travel options for thousands of commuters who are struggling to find alternative means of transport every day. This is despite private bus operators having been given permits to ply within the city to ease the effect of the strike on commuters.
Overcharging remains a problem, said commuters. Auto-rickshaw drivers overcharged or refused to ply on Tuesday too. This was in spite of the action of the Bengaluru traffic police who booked 1,972 cases against them on Monday. This drive continued on Tuesday, with 1,391 cases being booked and 222 autorickshaw seized.
“We were travelling towards Jalahalli Cross from Majestic and the auto driver asked us for two times the regular fare,” said Arjun H.S., a student who stays near Hessarghatta.
Bus seized
Private bus operators too have been making a quick buck. The Halasuru Gate traffic police seized a private bus which was plying between K.R. Market and Anekal as the conductor was demanding double fare. After passengers complained, the police took action against the bus operator.
‘Hard to find cabs’
Booking cabs has become a nightmare in the morning and evening peak hours as commuters who relied on buses for their daily transport are now switching over to taxis. Popular aggregators such as Ola and Uber have no cabs available in most busy areas of the city during peak hours, many people said.
“Today, it took me 45 minutes to book a cab. There is high demand from early in the morning till late evening and it is just impossible to find a cab or an auto during this time,” said Keerthana R., who works on Cunningham Road.
As many as 1,391 cases booked and 222 autorickshaws seized by Bengaluru traffic police
