BANGALORE: As the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) slowly gains momentum, the city is witness to cricket mania leading to hordes of loyal RCB supporters trooping towards Chinnaswamy Stadium whenever a match being played. Thanks to this situation, the auto drivers too seem to be having a gala time on IPL days.Spectators are bound to pay `250 for an actual meter reading of `60. “I came to watch the match last time and was so tired while leaving that I did not want to take a bus back. When I asked an auto driver to drop me to Indiranagar, he asked for `250,” said Sharmila, a spectator. After Brigade Road, Chinnaswamy Stadium seems to have become the new gold mine for auto drivers as they catch tired spectators and demand exorbitant fares from them. Another issue is the ongoing spat between local auto drivers (who usually operate near the stadium) and other auto drivers from the other parts of the city. “We have requested the police to assign stands to auto drivers so that such confusion does not arise,” said Manjunath, president of the Adarsha Auto Driver Union.Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dr M A Saleem ruled out setting up an auto stand near the stadium as it is not feasible to the department. “People can walk to the nearby M G Road prepaid auto stand or ask a policeman to assist them in getting an auto.” With around six more matches to be played at the venue, fans are considering other options as well. “Next time I will just walk a little and take the Metro back home,” said Kaushik, a resident of Indiranagar. Another option is the BMTC buses, which are being run on special schedules to cater to the visitors.
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