Bengaluru: For years, whenever his workday ended, 72-year-old Manjunath CH would scroll through YouTube videos of flashy, customised autorickshaws from Mumbai. He admired their sleek interiors, car-like doors, and the attention they drew on roads. Hoping to find something similar in Bengaluru, he waited — but never spotted anything.So, he decided to build one himself.Today, the veteran auto driver from Kurubarahalli navigates the city’s traffic in what many passengers initially mistake for a tiny car. His 2010-model auto features car-style seats, doors with windows, a sturdy roof, partition glass separating the driver and passengers, and perhaps its biggest attraction in Bengaluru’s unpredictable weather: air conditioning.“You can say I did it out of sheer craze,” Manjunath says with a smile.It took months of coordinating with multiple vendors and nearly Rs 1.5 lakh to turn his vision into reality. The cream-and-orange interiors resemble those of a compact car, and he is already planning further upgrades, including a small television and CCTV cameras. “I always felt that an innovative city like Bengaluru deserved a unique auto like this,” he says.For Manjunath, however, the modifications are about more than standing out. He points to the city’s increasingly erratic weather, recalling several incidents of trees falling on moving autorickshaws. “If the roof is stronger, I know I’m at least safer during such situations,” he says.The customised vehicle has become a conversation starter over the past two years. Passengers often step in expecting an ordinary auto ride but leave pleasantly surprised by the comfort inside.The story behind the driver is just as remarkable. Manjunath moved to Bengaluru from Hassan in the 1980s, hoping to start a travel agency. When that plan failed, driving an autorickshaw became his livelihood. More than five decades on, he still takes immense pride in the profession.He says there are two things he has never done: overcharge a passenger or refuse a ride.His workdays have become shorter, not because his passion has faded, but because navigating Bengaluru’s increasingly congested roads has become physically demanding. “When I started driving, petrol cost just Rs 2.65 a litre and the minimum fare was Re 1. Today, everything has changed,” he says.Unlike many younger drivers, Manjunath has chosen not to join ride-hailing platforms, saying he does not want to pay aggregator commissions. Instead, he continues to depend on street hails, even though the number of trips has declined over the years.Advice to young driversHe believes Bengaluru’s roads have become far more chaotic, with worsening traffic and rash driving making the job especially difficult for senior citizens. Even after decades behind the wheel, his advice to younger auto drivers remains simple. “Those who travel in autos are mostly middle-class and working-class people. They earn their money with hard work, just like we do. If you’ve chosen this profession, you shouldn’t refuse someone who needs a ride,” says Manjunath.