Paid higher cab fare today? Uber and Ola drivers are on strike in Delhi

Drivers say they want better perks, relaxed hours for targets and accident insurance

Uber and Ola users in Delhi and National Capital Region might have a hard time booking cabs Friday onwards, as thousands of drivers plan to go on strike. Thousands in New Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon could be affected, after Hyderabad and Bengaluru saw similar strikes. Uber and Ola are cab-hailing apps.

Drivers say they want better perks, relaxed hours for targets, accident insurance, and others.

The list of demands includes not running cabs for Rs 6 per kilometre, which is the minimum the two companies charge customers.

Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, which claims to have 2,000 members, working for either Uber or Ola, has called for the strike. The association hopes that 40,000 to 50,000 cab drivers would join their indefinite agitation. They plan to gather at Ramlila Ground in central Delhi on Friday morning and then march to Jantar Mantar, where a few of their representatives plan hunger strike.

The association has said that Ola and Uber do not give full weekly payment. “Companies should not add more new cars, they should stop ride-share services, also most importantly, we will not work for Rs 6 per kilometre. From Friday, we will go on indefinite strike till they agree to our demands,” said Ravi Rathore, senior executive member at the association.

In the last few weeks, drivers for ride-hailing apps across cities have gone on strikes. Drivers in Hyderabad and Bengaluru have had similar demands and ride-hailing apps have not been able to find common ground till now. 

Both Uber and Ola executives were unavailable for comments.