Commuters suffer, traffic hit as Online Auto Drivers’ Association resorts to protest in Bhubaneswar

Members of the Smart City Online Auto Drivers’ Association gheraoed the Capital Police Station in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Tuesday, disrupting online autorickshaw services across the city. A long queue of autorickshaws was seen parked in front of the police station, causing a severe traffic jam along the Rajmahal–AG Square stretch.

As per reports, the protest followed police action in connection with an incident reported a few days ago, where a member of the association was allegedly assaulted by members of the Station Auto Drivers’ Association. 

The online auto drivers alleged that the police arrested an innocent person instead of the actual offenders. They gathered outside the police station demanding justice and action against those responsible.

Traffic and Response from Authorities

The protest caused significant inconvenience to commuters, with hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road. Although some police personnel attempted to manage the situation, they reportedly refrained from direct involvement in dispersing the gathering. 

According to reports, no immediate steps were taken by the police to clear the jam or address the protesters’ concerns at the time of reporting.

Ongoing Dispute Between Online and Offline Drivers

The incident is linked to an earlier altercation between online and offline autorickshaw drivers at the Railway Station area. During the dispute, an online driver sustained injuries to his head and eye after being physically assaulted when he had gone to pickup a customer from the area. 

The online drivers have alleged that their offline counterparts often prevent them from picking up passengers in the station area and even ask customers to walk nearly 300 metres to board an online autorickshaw, causing inconvenience to the public.

Drivers Demand Fair Action and Permanent Solution

Speaking to reporters, one of the online autorickshaw drivers said, “We do not intend to cause any inconvenience to the public and apologise for the trouble faced by citizens. We are ensuring that those visiting the police station are not obstructed. However, we want justice. The police informed us that if we do not resolve the issue among ourselves, they will arrest individuals from both sides. A victim should not be punished. We will continue our protest until the victim is released and a permanent solution is provided by the government.”