On Day 3 of Ola-Uber strike: Protesting drivers stop colleagues from completing trips, taking duties

Delhi-NCR has around 1.5 lakh cabs under Ola and Uber and drivers are protesting against the app-based cab companies to demand more money from fares.

The strike by Ola, Uber drivers entered its third day on Saturday, with drivers of the mobile-based cab aggregators refusing to relent.

Uber drivers sit their parked cars in Tolstoy Marg in Central Delhi on Saturday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

Two leaders of Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, the union leading the protests, continued to be on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, on Saturday, with more drivers joining the agitation. “We won’t call off the strike until Ola, Uber or the government reaches out to us and offers a solution. We are ready to launch negotiations and find a middle path in the issue. The problem is that over the past few months, the companies have turned a blind eye to drivers and there is nobody to listen to our problems,” said Ravi Rathore, vice president of the union.

On Saturday, reports of cab drivers being stopped by protesting drivers poured in from across NCR, affecting the handful of passengers who could avail the app-based cab service by the companies. There were drivers who wanted to report for work but were reportedly hauled up by the protesters. Bhim Yadav, a driver with both Ola and Uber, said that a group of drivers stopped his car in Ballabhgarh area and took away his phone. “After pleading and promising that I will head home, they returned my phone,” he said.

Delhi-NCR has around 1.5 lakh cabs under Ola and Uber and drivers are protesting against the app-based cab companies to demand more money from fares.

A driver, on condition of anonymity, claimed that the protestors were not attacking privately owned cabs. “They are mainly targeting the cars that have been provided by Ola and Uber. My friends say that around 100 cabs were stopped or attacked in Gurgaon,” he said.

The drivers are against cabs provided by these companies as they claim they get preference in bookings over private cabs.

Atuar Rahman, another driver, took his cab out only in the evening when he thought it was relatively safer. “The protesters are mostly active during morning and afternoon and head back home by the evening. So, I am taking bookings now. I personally know at least 3-4 drivers who aren’t taking out their cars out of fear,” he said.

Delhi police said there were no untoward incidents because of the strike in the capital. The members of the cab unions too denied that the protesters were engaging in violence.

“Protesting drivers have been told to only stop cab drivers and explain to them about the protest and their rights. They simply ask them to support the movement and not take duties,” Rathore said.