Autorickshaw drivers in Mysuru have urged the authorities to increase the permit of their operation up to 25-30 km to cover tourist destinations around the city.
The autorickshaw drivers, who held a demonstration in Mysuru on Saturday, have submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra making out a case for increasing the permit of their operation up to 25-30 km from Mysuru as the city was a tourist destination.
The president of Mysuru district unit of Karnataka Chalakara Okkuta Murugan told The Hindu that the permits issued to autorickshaws operating in Mysuru city are restricted to Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits and 4 km from Mysuru city limits.
Even though Mysuru has grown beyond the limits of MCC, autorickshaw drivers do not face much hurdles transporting passengers. But, there have been occasions when the autorickshaw drivers have been booked and penalized while transporting tourists to Brindavan Gardens or Srirangapatna in Mandya district, said Vice President of the Okkoota’s Mysuru unit Shivakumar.
As Mysuru was a tourist destination, visitors seek transport by autorickshaws to not only places of tourist interest within the city like Mysuru palace and zoo, but also to destinations like Chamundi Hills, Nanjangud as well as Brindavan Gardens, Balamuri, KRS, Bird Sanctuary and Srirangapatna. “Hence, we urge the authorities to extend our permit upto 25-30 kms so that the places of tourist interest around Mysuru are covered under the permit”, Mr. Shivakumar said.
Meanwhile, the Okkoota has also urged the authorities to stop the transfer of autorickshaw permits from other places including cities outside Karnataka to Mysuru.
Already, there are around 25,000 autorickshaw permits in Mysuru. Several autorickshaw owners are transferring their permits from other places to Mysuru. The authorities should stop allowing such transfer of autorickshaw permits from outside Mysuru to the city.
The Okkoota has also urged the authorities to ban operation of bike taxis in Mysuru, which have seriously affected their business. There are about 1,000 bike taxis operating in Mysuru, Mr. Shivakumar said.
