Ola-Uber drivers may go on strike in Mumbai

The drivers want minimum fares to be between ₹100 and ₹150 and the charge per km between ₹18 and ₹23, depending upon the vehicle

Demanding higher minimum fare and charge per km, drivers of taxi-hailing apps Ola and Uber have threatened to go on strike from Monday. The drivers want minimum fares to be between ₹100 and ₹150 and the charge per km between ₹18 and ₹23, depending upon the vehicle. Currently, Ola and Uber’s fare structures are based on lump-sum and not visible to passengers. The protest will be held outside the Kurla office of Uber and Andheri office of Ola.

The protest will be held outside the Kurla office of Uber and Andheri office of Ola. (HT file photo)

With around 45,000 to 50,000 app-based cabs in the city and that most Mumbaiites prefer these when compared to the conventional black-and-yellow taxis and autos, office-goers could be in for a tough Monday if a large number of cabs go off the road owing to the protests outside the offices.

“Most drivers participated in our meeting yesterday (Saturday) and were in favour of an indefinite strike. But we will announce our future course of action during the protest, depending on what most drivers want,” said Sunil Borkar, secretary, Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh, a union of app-based cab drivers led by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Mumbai president Sachin Ahir.

The app-based cab drivers had gone on a three-day strike in March under the banner of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena, the transport wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) .

There are also demands for fare hikes in view of the rise in fuel prices, a prohibition on companies getting new taxis, booking cabs only from Aadhaar-verified numbers of the customers, among others.

“The companies had assured big incomes and hence many drivers left their jobs and brought cars. Initially, they were getting a good monthly return, but now the companies are giving more business to company-owned cabs. Hence, our drivers are unable to save anything, owing to less per kilometre fares,’ said Borkar.

The state government has introduced Maharashtra City Taxi Rules 2017 for controlling app-based taxis and regulate their surge pricing, in which fares shoot up according to the increase in demand. The implementation of the rules have been put on hold as the issue is under judicial consideration in the Bombay high court.