Almost 10 days after drivers of cab aggregator services Ola and Uber went on protest against low incentives and long working hours, many are back on duty.
Numerous complaints
However, sources from these services claim that the number of trip cancellations by drivers have gone up in the last few days over fear of violence.
“On Friday, when the services started improving, we received many complaints about trip cancellations by drivers. When we conducted an inquiry, we found out that drivers who are back on duty feared violence and damage to their cars. These cases were higher in Noida and Gurugram,” said a source from Uber.
Over the weekend, Uber received 38 complaints regarding trip cancellations by drivers. Ola, however, refused to comment on the issue.
Sarvesh Kumar, a driver with Uber, said he got back to work on Monday after protesting for almost a week. However, he makes it a point to ask the passenger the his/her destination before accepting a trip. “I have heard that protesters are stopping cars and threatening those who are back on duty. I don’t want to get into trouble. The strike is not over yet, but how long can we keep protesting?” Mr. Kumar said.
He said the protesters are especially targeting cars financed by Ola and Uber.
Weekend message
The cab aggregator services had over the weekend sent a message to customers about resumption of services. “We are back in full strength. Book an Ola and travel in comfort at affordable prices in Delhi-NCR,” a push notification on Ola’s mobile app read.
‘Still not easy’
Despite such claims by cab aggregators, Dwarka Sector 13 resident Anjali Shukla said it’s still difficult to find a cab in her area.
“Finding a cab in my area is still not as easy as it used to be. I have to book a cab at least 30 minutes in advance to be able to leave for office on time. When you finally manage to get a cab, the prices are high. Even during non-peak hours, I was forced to pay surge prices,” Ms. Shukla said.
