BENGALURU: While multiple requests were submitted to the state transport department to select a specific day in a year dedicated to the drivers- ‘Chalakara Dinacharane’ (Drivers Day), it is yet to designate a day.
Auto, cab, goods and truck drivers have urged the transport department to declare a day, so that all the drivers can unitedly celebrate it. Also, on Chalakara Dinacharane, along with celebrations, the drivers want the department to identity the best drivers and honour them, and also commemorate the day by bringing their various issues and demands to the attention of the government.
There were requests to declare a day in the month of November, which is filled with the celebrations of Kannada culture and language as part of the Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations. Also, there were requests to declare the birth anniversary of actor and director Late Shankar Nag who is revered as an icon of the auto drivers community. There were some representations to declare the day on the death anniversary of Shankar Nag.
As transport department is yet to announce any date officially, representatives from the Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union, Peace Auto, Karnataka State Private School Van Drivers Union, Jai Bharath Vahana Chalakara Sangha and others, who celebrated their 11th year Kannada Rajyotsava on Saturday, requested Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy to designate Shankar Nag’s birth anniversary.
When The New Indian Express spoke to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, he said he would check with the transport department on the date for Chalakara Dinacharane.