Delhi high court restrains striking drivers’ unions from blocking Ola cabs

Delhi High Court on Wednesday restrained anyone, including two taxi drivers’ unions, from interfering in the running of app-based cabs of Ola, whose services had been disrupted due the recent strike by taxi drivers. A similar relief was granted by the high court to Uber two days ago against the same taxi drivers’ unions.

Delhi High Court on Wednesday restrained anyone, including two taxi drivers’ unions, from interfering in the running of app-based cabs of Ola, whose services had been disrupted due the recent strike by taxi drivers.

In its plea, Ola has claimed that not only its business, but public safety was also being affected due to disruption of its services by the striking drivers who allegedly blocked their cabs, pulled out drivers and removed the mobile devices installed in them.(Sonu Mehta/HT file)

A similar relief was granted by the high court to Uber two days ago against the same taxi drivers’ unions.

The interim order was passed by Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw on Ola’s plea accusing the taxi drivers’ unions -- Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi (SDAD) and Rajdhani Tourist Drivers’ Union -- of blocking cabs of drivers who had not joined the strike.

It also restrained the unions or anyone acting on their behalf from removing or confiscating the mobile devices installed in the Ola cabs.

The court also restrained the two unions, their office- bearers or anyone acting on their behalf, from staging a dharna within 500 metres of Ola offices at Vasant Kunj here and Gurugram in Haryana.

It also issued notice to the two unions and its office bearers and sought their replies by the next date of hearing on February 17. Uber’s plea is also listed on the same day.

Read: Cab services improve in Gurgaon after Delhi HC order

Ola’s plea was mentioned in the morning before Justice S Muralidhar, who allowed it to be listed later today before the appropriate court.

In its plea, Ola has claimed that not only its business, but public safety was also being affected due to disruption of its services by the striking drivers who allegedly blocked their cabs, pulled out drivers and removed the mobile devices installed in them.

Hundreds of drivers were on an indefinite strike since February 10 in Delhi-NCR region to protest against the “low fares” and “lack” of basic amenities of app-based taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola.

Read: Driver unrest continues in Delhi, govt tells Ola, Uber to find a solution