Bengaluru Bandh Live Updates: The Bengaluru traffic police had issued a traffic advisory. (file)
The Bengaluru transport strike (Bengaluru Bandh) called by the Karnataka State Private Vehicles Owner Association opposing the Shakti scheme -- one of the five pre-election guarantees of the ruling Congress, which provides free travel to women on government buses -- has been withdrawn. State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy met the union leaders at Freedom Park, where the protest was underway. 27 of the 30 demands have been agreed to by the minister.
The union leaders plan to have a delegation meet the Chief Minister with the remaining three demands.
The private transport operators say that the Shakti scheme eats into their profits.
The Karnataka State Private Vehicles Owner Association comprises a total of 32 private transport associations, and most of the private transport services were unlikely to be available during the strike. The Bengaluru Airport Authority had also advised passengers to make necessary arrangements to reach the airport on time in view of the bandh.
Background
The private bus, taxi, and auto unions had called for a shut-down from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight. The Bengaluru traffic police issued a traffic advisory for the public to plan accordingly.
Why are private transporters protesting?
The federation called for a bandh seeking a ban on bike taxis, and urging the government to extend the Shakti scheme to private buses as well, among other demands.
The private transporters have claimed that they have been negatively impacted by the Shakti scheme and that the state government has not fulfilled their demands despite repeated discussions.
State government's response
State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the private transport union is demanding Rs 1,000 crore as compensation. "Some issues are in the High Court and Supreme Court...Things which I can solve, I have taken actions on that," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said some demands by private transporters are "impossible demands" and cannot be met.
"In a democracy, we cannot put restrictions on bandhs and protests. They are the essence of democracy but they should be held peacefully that's all," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, the chief minister said he and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy have heard their demands, "but if they keep impossible demands, it cannot be met." "We have implemented Shakti scheme (free transport for women in public transport buses), they are saying that -- they are facing problems because of it, as women are not going to private buses -- and so are asking the government to bear those losses, can that be done? It is practically not possible, the scheme is for the benefit of women," he said, adding that whether they are facing loss or not is a different matter.
The state's backup plan to counter the proposed strike
The Karnataka Transport Department made alternate arrangements to tackle the Bandh. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Sunday said the state transport department was preparing to operate numerous buses on the bandh day.
He assured that Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses have been arranged to avoid any inconvenience to the public.
"We have arranged BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses for school-going children, office-going people and for those who're going to hospitals. BMTC has arranged around 500 extra buses. Nothing will happen. They (private transport) are going for a strike, let them, they have the right to do so," Mr Reddy said.
The transport minister reportedly instructed officials to run government buses on the routes to schools and colleges in Bengaluru.
He also directed that more buses should be arranged near hospitals so that patients do not face any problem.
Police tighten security
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that adequate security arrangements were made across the city as a precautionary measure to tackle any untoward incident, news agency PTI reported.
"All our officials including senior officers are on patrolling, and we have also used a sufficient number of tracking forces at all the strategic locations. We have also spoken to the associations who are participating in the strike. They would be assembling at Freedom Park, where the protest will be held," he said.
"Whoever wants to stay away from the road can stay off, but they cannot force anybody to stay off the road. We have given instructions and if anyone indulges in any kind of mischief, we will take strong action," he added.
Lakhs of vehicles to be impacted
About 7 to10 lakh vehicles including autos, taxis, airport taxis, maxi cabs, goods vehicles, school vehicles, also stage carriages, contract carriages and corporate buses, were supposed to go off the roads tomorrow, S Nataraj Sharma, president of the federation said.