Ola, Uber drivers in Mumbai to continue indefinite strike after failed talks

Cab drivers associated with aggregators Uber and Ola on Thursday have decided to continue their indefinite strike in the city because, according to them, representatives from the companies did not turn up for the scheduled meeting to resolve the issue.
Entering the eleventh day of their strike, the cabbie unions that have been demanding higher pay are likely to launch a protest against the state government as well.
Late on Thursday night, Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh (MRRKS) — that has been leading the strike — announced they would extend their strike because neither Ola nor Uber turned up to discuss their issues.
Govind Mohite, president of MRRKS, said representatives from Ola and Uber cheated the drivers despite agreeing for further talks in presence of senior police officers. Both companies kept their offices shut did not respond to their calls, he claimed.
“The drivers are firm on continuing the strike till the time their demands meet,” Mohite said. “Our people are now going to file a police complaint against Ola and Uber. They have cheated the drivers, giving false assurances about higher pays while associating their cabs with the companies. This is a fraud.”
Another union of cab drivers, Marathi Kamgar Sena, tried parking a few cabs just outside Mantralaya to get the government’s attention but the police immediately removed them. The union also issued an ultimatum to transport minister Diwakar Raote to resolve their issues failing which they would take their protest to Matoshree, the residence of Shiv Sena chief, Udhhav Thackeray.
Both Ola and Uber did not respond to calls and messages sent by HT.
Earlier on Wednesday, upset by the prolonged strike, a section of drivers had met with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray at his Shivaji Park residence and later had a meeting with the transport wing of the party. Though MNS denied intervening in the issue but stated that they are in process of filing a court case on the issue.
-
U.P. Budget 2022-23: ₹1,000 cr for uninterrupted power to villages during night
In its 2022-23 budget, the state government has earmarked ₹1,000 crore to enable the UP Power Corporation to buy additional electricity to ensure that villages have access to uninterrupted supply from 7pm to 6am during the summer even as it also allocated funds for the implementation of a new power reform scheme as announced by the Centre last year.
-
Mathura: First case on Krishna Janmabhoomi issue restored
The first among the 11 cases filed on Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi issue in recent years was restored to its original number on Thursday and July 1, 2022 was fixed for filing of reply by defendants in the case.
-
Delhi HC restrains rogue website from infringing HT Media's intellectual rights
The Delhi high court on Thursday delivered a punishing blow to rogue website hindustantimes.tech, after finding it guilty of misusing HT Media's trademarks and also the content published by the group on their website. While passing the interim injunction order, the Delhi high court noted that the mark 'Hindustan Times' is the registered trademark of HT Media, which commands a global viewership and reputation of being one of India's oldest newspapers.
-
Sanjay Raut, Sanjay Pawar file nominations for RS election
Mumbai Shiv Sena Sanjay Raut along with Sena's Kolhapur district chief Sanjay Pawar filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election in Mumbai on Thursday. If elected, this will be Raut's fourth successive term in the Rajya Sabha. In the presence of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Congress minister Balasaheb Thorat and other leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, Raut and Pawar submitted their nominations.
-
Eco-activists raise concern over TMC’s nod for building bungalows in SGNP buffer zone
Mumbai: Environmentalists and concerned residents of Thane have raised alarm over the construction of 20 commercial bungalows in Yeoor village, which lies within the notified eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), where development activities are restricted. The bungalows, Hindustan Times has learnt, are being developed by Thane Municipal Corporation corporator Hanmant Jagdale, who was awarded a commencement certificate for the project in April last year. Activists, however, termed these constructions as illegal.