App-based taxis, autos go on daylong strike for their demands in Mumbai

The union demands fare rationalisation, aligning rates with metered cabs, banning bike taxis, and capping permits for black-and-yellow taxis and auto rickshaws

Several app-based taxis and auto rickshaws went on a one-day strike across Maharashtra on Thursday to press for their demands, including fare hikes, a union said, though some users said they did not feel any inconvenience.

Dr Keshav Nana Kshirsagar, president of Maharashtra Gig Kamgar Manch, the union that has been leading the strike, claimed that a large number of vehicles remained off the road due to the strike in cities like Mumbai, Nashik and Pune.

The union has demanded fare rationalisation, bringing the rates on a par with those of the conventional black-and-yellow metered cabs, prohibition of bike taxis, and a cap on permits for black-and-yellow taxis and auto rickshaws.

A welfare board for drivers of app-based cabs and enactment of a law for gig workers' are among the other demands of the union.

Due to the strike, the Mumbai airport parking lot, which remains crowded with app-based taxis, was deserted on Thursday afternoon, said the union.

Some passengers, however, claimed they have not faced any issue in hailing app-based cabs or autos despite the strike.

Last week, the Maharashtra Gig Kamgar Manch had staged a protest at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, and later resorted to a jail bharo' agitation claiming that Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik did not meet its representatives.

According to the union, ridesharing companies have not complied with a key directive of Assistant Transport Commissioner Bharat Kalaskar, who is also the secretary of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA).

As an MMRTA functionary, Kalaskar had written to three app-based taxi and auto rickshaw aggregators, Ola, Uber and Rapido, directing them to follow black-and-yellow cab fares from September 18 until the state decided on separate rates for ride-hailing services.

As per the MMRTA, the existing fare of black-and-yellow taxis is Rs 20.66 per km for non-AC and Rs 22.72 per km with AC. These base rates will apply to app-based cabs and autos until their price slabs are finalised.

The MMRTA has also allowed the aggregators to discount the base fare by 25 per cent during lean demand and surge it by 1.5 times when the demand is high.