Mangaluru, Jul 3: Demanding the withdrawal of Ola cab service from Mangaluru with immediate effect and proper enquiry into the money source of App based taxi service, traditional taxi operators staged a massive protest in the city on Friday. The protest was organised under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada Taxi Men’s and Maxicab Association.
The agitators, who took out a taxi rally from Jyothi circle to Nehru Maidan and staged a protest meeting in front of the office of Deputy Commissioner in the city, set a 30 day deadline for the authorities to take necessary action against Ola cab service and stop its operation in the coastal city.
Inaugurating the protest meet, G R Shanmukhappa, president, Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association, warned the authorities that committing suicide was the only option for traditional taxi drivers if Ola cabs established their monopoly in the city.
“The taxi drivers of the city have already complained to the administration against ‘illegal’ operation of Ola cabs. App based service violates the law as such cabs do not possess city taxi permit and operating disregarding motor vehicle act,” he complained and demanded action.
In solidarity with local taxi operators, several other organizations including Bangalore Tourist Taxi Association, Federation of Karnataka Tourist Transport Association and Udupi District Taxi Men’s Association also took part in the protest.
DK Association President K. Monappa Bhandari suspected app-based operators are being funded through black money and alleged they are patronized by politicians and bureaucrats. Since six months, the state transport department is dillydallying on regulating app-based operators, he said.
Karnataka state Association president K G Raveendra, and Udupi Association president Raghupathi Bhat also spoke on the occasion.
Around 300 traditional taxi operators took part in the protest. Kannan, a city based taxi driver who has been running a taxi for last 52 years told Coastaldigest.com that ever since the Ola cabs started entered Mangaluru, many traditional taxi drivers are returning home with empty pockets. “Almost 2000 traditional taxi drivers in the city are losing their livelihood as they cannot compete with Ola cabs,” he said adding that if same situation continues taxi drivers have no other option but committing suicide.
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