Even as Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced on Friday that the government was forming a committee to examine the drivers’ demands and would furnish its findings in a time-bound manner, the city’s drivers’ unions, including those representing Ola and Uber drivers, reiterated their decision of going on an indefinite strike starting Monday.
The unions have been demanding a reduction in fuel prices and regulation of fares by the government, among others.
Six-day ultimatum
Sanjay Samrat, president of Delhi Taxi, Tourist Transporters Association said the unions had decided to strike work at least on Monday.
The drivers’ unions, on Tuesday, had given the Union and Delhi governments a six-day ultimatum, demanding a reduction in CNG, petrol and diesel prices or a rebate on fuel charges for passenger vehicles such as autorickshaws, cabs and tourist vehicles operating in the Capital. The protesting unions include the Delhi Taxi, Tourist Transporters Association, the Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi and the Expert Driver Association.
“We have been writing to the governments and making them aware of these demands for months but nothing has happened so far. We will strike work on Monday and if the governments still don’t listen, this strike may go on indefinitely,” Mr. Samrat said.
According to the associations, cabs attached to ride-hailing apps were operating at a meagre rate of ₹6 per km even as their earnings were being affected by the rising fuel prices. They said they were also being charged a commission of “over 25% on each trip” by the cab aggregator firms.
Mr. Samrat said tax collection from cabs registered in the Capital and a rebate on or cancellation of charges related to vehicle fitness, which had accrued over the last two years, were among the other demands of the unions.
