Law and Order / Odisha Cancels 353 Auto Permits for 45 Days After Master Canteen Violence

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23: The Odisha Transport Department on Wednesday cancelled permits of 353 autorickshaws for 45 days following violent protests by online auto and cab drivers at Master Canteen Square on August 19. The decision was taken after a two-day hearing where vehicle owners failed to provide satisfactory explanations, officials said.

Regional Transport Officer-I Manas Mishra said that the drivers have been barred from operating their vehicles during the suspension period. The crackdown followed the seizure of 381 autos by Commissionerate Police in the aftermath of the agitation. Of these, 353 owners were served show-cause notices by the Transport Department.

Officials said scrutiny of permits, fitness, insurance, and pollution certificates led to the issuance of 181 e-challans, many of which are now being cleared online by drivers. The hearings, conducted on September 18 and 19, involved detailed questioning of auto owners. As their responses were deemed unsatisfactory, the department ordered cancellation of permits for 45 days.

The Transport Department emphasized that the action was aimed at restoring discipline in the city’s transport system and deterring repeated instances of disorder.
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Background of the Protest

On August 19, hundreds of autorickshaw and cab drivers operating through platforms such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido staged a blockade around Master Canteen Square and the railway station area, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The protest turned violent, with drivers allegedly pelting stones, vandalizing public property, and damaging buses, police vehicles, and private cars. Several police personnel and civilians sustained injuries.

In response, Commissionerate Police launched a sweeping crackdown, arresting 115 auto-rickshaw drivers. While 86 of them were later released from Jharpada jail following court proceedings, multiple FIRs were registered at Kharavel Nagar police station.

Officials said the suspension of permits is intended to send a strong message to operators against creating chaos in public spaces and to reinforce accountability in Bhubaneswar’s transport sector.