Cab, auto-rickshaw drivers on strike meet Gadkari, demand government-run app

They alleged that app-based taxi services pay very less amount to the drivers.

Striking taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers on Tuesday met Union minister for road transport Nitin Gadkari and demanded a government-run cab-hailing app on the lines of Ola and Uber.

Ola and Uber taxi drivers shout slogans on the fifth day of their strike against withdrawal of incentives by the app-based cab aggregators, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

A delegation representing taxi and autorickshaw drivers told Gadkari their problems and urged him to get a mobile application developed to end the monopoly of private cab services.

They alleged that app-based taxi services pay very less amount to the drivers.

Read: Manic Monday for Delhi commuters; Ola, Uber drivers carry on with strike

“The minister has promised us his support and expressed his desire to work for the benefit of the drivers... Tomorrow we will meet the senior officials of the ministry to discuss it in detail,” Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association (DTTTA) president Sanjay Samra said.

In their memorandum to the minister, the drivers alleged Ola and Uber were offering low fares and asked Gadkari to discontinue Ola and Uber cab services in the country.

Read: Little money, long hours: Spare a thought for Delhi’s Ola, Uber cab drivers

“They announced that the drivers will get Rs 6 per kilometre and asked for 25% in commission from the drivers. At this rate many Ola and Uber drivers are unable to earn enough to tend to daily needs,” Samrat added.

The drivers launched a strike on February 10, much to the pains of the commuters who rely of app-based taxi services.