Private transport associations protest Tejasvi's support for car-pooling apps

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations has taken a strong stance against Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya for his support of car-pooling apps, and they are demanding an apology from him.

On October 13, they protested by laying siege to his office. Their main demand is for Surya to retract his letter to the Chief Minister, in which he advocated for reconsidering the ban on car-pooling services.

They have also threatened indefinite protests if their demands are not met. The federation has written a letter to Prime Minister Modi expressing their concerns where they argue that the MP's support for car-pooling not only negatively impacts the livelihoods of around 11 lakh auto and cab drivers but also has the potential to affect the BJP's prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Nataraj Sharma, the president of the federation, pointed out that MP Tejasvi Surya has openly endorsed car-pooling companies linked to his close associates.

This has caused outrage among the federation, as the state transport department has been cracking down on illegal transport activities, particularly car-pooling, within the city.

Karnataka State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, however, has dismissed reports of a carpooling ban in Bengaluru. He clarified that there is no ban and emphasised that those engaging in carpooling should seek proper permissions.

According to him, since they haven't sought these permissions, there's no question of a ban. The confusion surrounding the carpooling ban first arose on October 1, with reports indicating that the transport department had advised Bengaluru residents against using carpooling apps such as BlaBla Car and Quick Ride.

This issue has become particularly contentious, given the constant traffic woes experienced by the residents of Bengaluru.