Ola, Uber strike returns today to cripple Delhi

New Delhi: Brace for surge in fares and extended waiting time for the cabs to arrive as the drivers of two app-based cab aggregators — Ola and Uber — will go on a daylong strike against their “poor working conditions”. This is the second round of strikes called by the drivers. They had gone on strike in February too, which had lasted 13 days, causing inconvenience to commuters in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad.

The strike, though for a day, may paralyse the transport services in Delhi and the neighbouring cities as around a dozen unions have joined hands in the protest.

Alleging that their demands have fallen on the deaf ears as neither the government or the cab operating companies have paid heed, the drivers’ association has planned a march from Majnu ka Tila in North Delhi to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.

“The protest march will be taken out from Majnu ka Tila to the CM’s residence in North Delhi’s Civil Lines area. There is anger among drivers that government is not intervening in raising their issues with Ola and Uber,” Kamaljeet Gill, president of Sarvodaya Drivers’ Association, said. The association, which claims to represent around 1.25 lakh app-based taxis in the Delhi-NCR, demands that fares be increased from the existing Rs 6 per km to around Rs 20 per km. It also demands abolition of 25 per cent commission the drivers are charged by companies. He said the association has called for the one-day strike in favour of the demands and if companies and government do not pay heed, they will go on an indefinite strike.

According to the association, app-based cab companies made “tall promises” to drivers, like they would earn as much as Rs 1.5 lakh every month. “But, the situation is different. They are making us run taxis at Rs 6 per km, while they charge 25 per cent from us,” Mr Gill added.

Contrary to the association’s claim that most aut-orickshaw and tourists’ associations have decided to lend their support to the strike, Delhi Auto-rickshaw Sangh and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union (yellow-black taxis) said they will not participate in it. “We will not support the strike in Delhi,” Rajendra Soni, general secretary of both the associations, said.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi HC restrained two taxi drivers’ unions — the Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi and the Rajdhani Tourist Drivers’ Union — from disrupting services of cabs run by Ola and Uber in the national capital region.

Welcoming the court order, Uber in a statement said it hopes it will enable drivers to stay behind the wheel, without fear or harassment. “We are hopeful that the order will be effectively enforced and that action is taken against any person who attempts to block cars, confiscate devices or harass riders and drivers and that the safety of everyone using the Uber App in Delhi is ensured.

“We are committed to keeping Delhi moving and ensuring a reliable experience for riders and drivers,” Uber said.