Kali Pili keeps fares under check as cab aggregator drivers go on strike on Sat

While app-based cab services were severely affected, auto rickshaws and black-and-yellow taxis (Kali Pili) continued to operate at usual fares.

MUMBAI: A pan-India strike by drivers attached to app-based platforms disrupted travel across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Saturday, leaving commuters grappling with long wait times, cancellations and steep surge pricing, particularly in south Mumbai, a no-auto-rickshaw zone, where passengers are heavily dependent on app-based tourist taxis.

Gig workers, including cab and auto drivers, stage a protest at Mallapur in Nacharam area on “All India Breakdown” on February 7, 2026 in response to the nationwide strike call by Ola, Uber and Rapido, in Medchal-Malkajgiri on Saturday. (ANI Photo) (ANI Video Grab)

The strike, organised by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) along with other national labour bodies under the banner ‘All India Breakdown’, was called to protest inadequate fares, income insecurity, alleged exploitation and what unions described as unsustainable working conditions. A representation has also been submitted to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging urgent intervention.

While app-based cab services were severely affected, auto rickshaws and black-and-yellow taxis (Kali Pili) continued to operate at usual fares, offering partial relief to commuters. The impact was felt most sharply in south Mumbai.

Several commuters reported that fares on aggregator platforms nearly tripled during peak hours. For instance, a trip that typically costs around ₹350 in an air-conditioned cab was quoted at up to ₹900. In contrast, fares for the same journeys by auto rickshaws or black-and-yellow taxis remained unchanged.

Passengers who rely exclusively on app-based services such as Ola, Uber and Rapido were among the worst affected, with many complaining of repeated cancellations and unaffordable pricing.

Inbound passengers at Mumbai airport also faced difficulties. Mayank Kumar, a traveller arriving at Terminal 2, posted on social media platform X that his premium cab booking was cancelled by platform staff citing the strike. “Same for foreign guests, randomly cancelling without asking, probably as a crowd control measure,” he wrote.

In another instance, commuter Rajiv Prabhu alleged that a driver demanded ₹2,000 for a ride usually priced between ₹450 and ₹500. “On a recorded call, the driver asked if I knew a strike was on. When I said no, he demanded the amount in a threatening tone. This is straight-up extortion,” he said in a post.

Unions said the agitation was also aimed at opposing what they termed “arbitrary fare policies” of ride aggregators, seeking action against allegedly illegal bike taxi operations and protesting the financial burden caused by mandatory panic button installations. According to labour bodies, drivers have been forced to replace previously approved devices, costing them nearly ₹12,000 per vehicle.

Reacting to the strike, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned aggregator companies against unfair treatment of drivers and said the state government would not hesitate to act. “If the owners of Ola, Uber or Rapido are behaving incorrectly and doing injustice to drivers, the government will take appropriate action,” he said, adding that officials were coordinating with driver unions.

Authorities said the situation was being monitored, even as unions indicated that further protests could be planned if their demands remain unaddressed.