Autorickshaw drivers and owners staging a protest in Shivamogga on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: S.K. Dinesh
Autorickshaw drivers and owners staged a protest on Thursday, demanding a freeze on fresh permits, contending that the existing fleet in the city was already excessive.
The protesters gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum raising four key concerns. They argued that the high number of autorickshaws in circulation had reduced earnings for existing drivers. They urged the transport department to halt the issuance of fresh permits.
The protesters demanded a comprehensive re-survey and review of the prepaid autorickshaw facility, citing the pre-fixed rates for certain distances as unscientific. They also urged the administration not to permit aggregator services such as Bike-Rapido, contending that the city had limited space for such operations and that introducing them would trigger unhealthy competition in an already saturated market.
The fourth demand was for a revision of autorickshaw fares, with the drivers and owners suggesting a minimum fare of ₹50.
Alla Baksh and Santhosh A.N., office-bearers of the Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners Association, led the protest.
Published - June 18, 2026 07:05 pm IST
Read the full article at The Hindu →📄Source document: Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners Association
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The HinduIndependentCenter3 days agoAutorickshaw drivers and owners in Shivamogga protested against the issuance of new permits, arguing that the current number of autorickshaws has already created an oversaturated market. They raised demands including halting new permits, revising fare structures, reviewing prepaid facilities, and restricting aggregator services like Bike-Rapido. The protest was led by representatives of the Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners Association.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about a protest without taking a stance on the issues raised. It reports the demands of the protestors neutrally, without editorializing or favoring any side. There is no indication of biased language, one-sided sourcing, or omission of context.
Official sources cited
- organisation Autorickshaw Drivers and Owners Association
India