Taxi, auto union strike fails to have any impact in Noida, Ghaziabad

The two-day strike by auto and taxi drivers was given by 15 unions to protest the adverse impact of app-based cab services on their livelihoods

The two-day chakka jam (road blockade) call given by auto-rickshaw unions on Thursday failed to have any impact on operations of three-wheelers in Noida and Ghaziabad, though most taxis remained off the road.

Commuters outside New Delhi Railway station on Thursday. The strike call by auto, taxi unions against app-based cab services majorly impacted commuters in the national capital on Thursday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The two-day strike by auto and taxi drivers was given by 15 unions to protest the adverse impact of app-based cab services on their livelihoods. They argued that these services have significantly reduced their earnings while app companies give substantial commissions on drivers.

Their demands include an “immediate ban” on the illegal business networks of online cab services, white numbered motorbikes and revival of the old taxi and auto system in the National Capital Region, among others.

While most of the auto drivers remained unaware of the strike, the others who knew about it chose not to participate in it, citing “loss of business” and “lack of seriousness”.

“I saw that no one was complying with the strike and so I too thought of plying my auto. If there was a protest, then everyone should have joined in…but that was not the case,” Rahul Kumar Yadav, an auto driver who was busy looking for some passengers near the Botanical Garden Metro station, said.

“I know that there is a strike and I support the cause. I demand that the online bike services cease immediately as some of them are using this as a side business. Suppose they want to travel from point A to B and in between they turn on these services and enjoy a trip for which people like us have to suffer,” Pratap Kumar, who plies his auto across NCR, said.

The strike call given by auto unions hardly evoked any response in Ghaziabad, where autos were easily available on roads.

“The strike call hardly got any response in Ghaziabad. It was more linked to Delhi. Autos were easily available and drivers operated without any hindrance. Many of the drivers didn’t even know if there was a strike call,” said Dilshad Ahmad, president of Ghaziabad Autorickshaw Chalak Sangh.

Commercial Driver Welfare association president Amar Singh claimed that the dismal response to the strike call was because of a delay in sharing information about the chakka jam among auto drivers and their unions in Noida and other areas of Uttar Pradesh.

“The mistake was on our end…information to auto unions was disbursed late…about 40-50% of autos were on the roads, which is of course more than the numbers from Delhi. We will impose the strike more strictly tomorrow. But almost all taxis are taking part in the strike,” Singh said.