Bengaluru recently banned carpooling within city limits and stated that any violation would attract a fine of up to ₹10,000 along with other legal consequences. The decision was condemned by the public in light of traffic in the region. Despite the underlying issue of road congestion in the IT hub, a move possibly resulting in increased vehicular movement was ridiculed.
Carpooling banned in Bengaluru
Netizens react to the RTO decision
People wondered how the move would be beneficial to the commuters. They pointed out that the carpooling ban would result in inconvenience and concerns rather than any good. "Would this lead to more vehicles, more pollution," said an X user, while another asked, "Won't it increase the traffic?"
Meanwhile, some claimed that the ban came in the favour of the autorickshaw drivers and ignored the public at large. "Catering to taxi and auto wala vote banks," said a person reacting to the RTO decision. "This is because of extensive lobbying by the Taxi unions," said another.
Along with messages addressing the situation, hilarious memes also surfaced on social media. People sarcastically praised the ban by calling it a "Next-level, great thinking."
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One must note that the Karnataka government this September termed the usage of whiteboard (private) vehicles for commercial travel 'illegal.' The decision led to a crack down on apps providing carpooling services in Bengaluru. Reportedly, drivers engaged in carpooling henceforth may face a six-month suspension of their registration certificate (RC) and a penalty ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 if caught.
