App-based cab, auto drivers strike over fare policy, 'illegal' bike taxis

Drivers of app-based taxis and autorickshaws on Saturday observed a day-long strike in Maharashtra and other parts of the country to draw the government's attention to various demands, including a ban on "illegal" bike taxis and action against "arbitrary" fare policy.

The protest affected commuters to some extent as most of the cabs and rickshaws linked to aggregator apps remained off roads.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned of taking action against the ride aggregator companies if they behave unfairly with the drivers and indulge in "injustice" against them. He said the government was ready to support the drivers on their genuine issues.

Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha (MKS), a union that had given the strike call, claimed the protest was "successful" as most of the drivers "spontaneously" participated in the strike in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and other regions in the state. It warned to intensify the agitation if their demands were ignored.

MKS' head Dr Keshav Kshirsagar told PTI that the strike began across Maharashtra and other parts of the country in the morning.

"Seventy to eighty per cent app-based taxis and autorickshaws stayed off the roads, affecting passenger services in the state and significant reduction in traffic snarls on the roads as well," the union said in its statement.

The strike was aimed at opposing the "arbitrary" fare policies of ride aggregators, seeking strict enforcement against "illegal" bike taxi operations that were affecting the livelihoods of licensed cab and autorickshaw drivers, it said earlier.

The union representing gig workers also alleged that the mandatory installation of panic buttons has become a financial burden for operators.

"While there are 140 panic button device providers approved by the Centre, the state government has declared nearly 70 per cent of these companies unauthorised. As a result, cab drivers are being forced to remove previously installed devices and spend approximately Rs 12,000 unnecessarily to install new devices, causing severe financial hardship," the statement said.

The drivers' body also raised concerns over loss of income due to an increase in the number of autorickshaws under the open permit policy, and also alleged that victims of accidents involving "illegal" bike taxis are denied insurance benefits.

The union said the government should take immediate concrete decisions on all issues including "commission rates, arbitrary fare policies, decline in revenue, delays in legal implementation, arbitrariness of app-based companies and policy protection given to bike taxis".

"If the drivers' just demands are ignored, a more intense and widespread protest will be launched in the coming days," the statement said.

Talking to reporters in Thane, minister Sarnaik said the agitation should not inconvenience common citizens.

He added that the state government was in constant touch with driver unions.

"Passengers should not suffer because of the strike. Drivers should clearly communicate what support they expect from the state government. We are ready to stand by them on all genuine issues," he said.

If aggregator companies behave unfairly towards drivers, the government will not hesitate to act, he warned.

"If the owners of Ola, Uber or Rapido are behaving incorrectly and doing injustice to drivers, the state government will take appropriate action against them," he said.

Meanwhile, some passengers complained that as only a small number of taxis and autorickshaws were available for booking on apps, regular operators hiked their charges to some extent.