Auto-rickshaw drivers stage demonstration against illegal operations of app-based bike taxis

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Large number of auto-rickshaw drivers staged a demonstration at Cyber Cell Police Station on Monday to protest against the illegal operation of bike-taxis in the city.

President of Indore Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union Rajesh Bidkar said that about 4000 bike-taxis are running across the city illegally. “Regional Transport Office has already suspended the license of one of the aggregators while no renewal was given to the other aggregators. With this, there is no legal bike taxi operator in the city but still thousands of vehicles are running in the city,” Bidkar said.

He alleged that the bike taxi operators are using private vehicles for commercial use while many of the riders do not have police verification done and criminal cases have been registered against many of them.

“We have been lodging complaints against the illegal operation of bike taxis for a long time. We have also demanded the police to get the illegal applications removed from the play store as well,” Bidkar said adding “RTO has also dashed off a letter to police to take action against these bike taxis but in vain.”

Meanwhile, RTO Pradeep Sharma said that there is no legal bike taxi service provider in the city and those running are illegal.