'Not many people willing to travel in autorickshaws due to COVID-19 scare'

Bengaluru: Autorickshaw drivers across the state found very few passengers willing to take a ride due to the COVID-19 scare on day one of lockdown 4.0.

“We have resumed services, but not many people are willing to travel in autorickshaws,” Manju, an autorickshaw driver in Bengaluru, told.

He further added, “We have been asked by the government to spray disinfectants on the vehicles before and after every commercial trip, but where will we get such a spray? The government has to fund us, otherwise, we will not survive.”

According to him, most of the drivers allowed only one person and some put up a board between them and the passenger to avoid any contact.

In Mysuru, buses and autorickshaws had few passengers, whereas the inter-district buses, especially those to Bengaluru, were full. In Hubballi-Dharwad, businesses resumed with full strength as the restrictions were eased.

All the shops were open, but the usual crowd was missing. Autorickshaws, city and inter-district buses operated to full capacity.

In Belagavi in north Karnataka adjoining Maharashtra, there was less movement of buses and autorickshaws on the roads, though the shops were open. People preferred to travel in their own vehicles.