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Ola, Uber strike: Lukewarm response to protest; Delhi services not hit
The protesting cab drivers are demanding an extension of the moratorium on loan repayment of their cars, which lapsed on August 31 (Monday) and a hike in fare because of the coronavirus outbreak
A protest planned by a section of drivers of application (app)-based ride-hailing taxi services at Mandi House in central Delhi on Tuesday morning evoked a lukewarm response, as vehicles were largely available for commuters in the national capital.
The protesting cab drivers are demanding an extension of the moratorium on loan repayment of their cars, which lapsed on August 31 (Monday) and also a hike in fare because of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.
Though the stir was planned at 10 am on Tuesday, no cab driver or taxi union leader were present at the scheduled protest site outside Himachal Bhawan in Mandi House until 11.30 am.
Kamaljeet Singh Gill, president of Sarvodaya Drivers’ Association of Delhi, said the union is trying to convince cab drivers to join the protest.
The cab drivers’ tepid response to the protest was a blessing in disguise for commuters.
Puneet Sachdeva, who arrived at Arwachin Public School in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar for his Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Main that started at 7:30 am on Tuesday, said he had pre-booked the cab through the ride-hailing app aggregator Uber and it arrived on time.
“I had read about Tuesday’s cab strike in the media. I was worried that my cab booking would get cancelled. But, fortunately, the driver turned up on time for the pick up,” he said.
Devika Kashyap, another commuter, said she was able to book a cab to go to her office in Green Park in south Delhi. “But the fare was a little higher than usual. I paid around Rs 50 more than what I usually pay for the same distance,” she said.
Gill, a leader of one of the cab drivers’ associations, said, “Drivers are unable to pay their EMIs (equated monthly installments) because of the acute financial crisis caused due to the Covid-19-induced 68-day lockdown restrictions. The moratorium of loan repayment lapsed on August 31 and the banks are putting pressure on us to pay EMIs. Drivers are scared that banks will tow away their vehicles for default in the payment of their EMIs.”
Tuesday’s protest, which some cab drivers claimed could turn into a strike, had also found support from the Delhi Taxi, Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators’ Association.
Sanjay Samrat, president of the association, said cab drivers have also demanded the withdrawal of “heavy penalties” against them for the violation of the maximum speed limit.
“The cab drivers will assemble near Himachal Bhawan at Mandi House on Tuesday to seek the Central government’s action on their demands,” he said.
The ride-hailing app aggregators such as Ola and Uber refused to comment on the protest.
