Ola, Uber strike: Delhi, Mumbai commuters suffer; Top 10 developments
Do you use Ola and Uber for your daily commute? If yes, you may want to find other modes of transport. Commuters in Mumbai suffered as drivers of the app-based cab aggregators Ola and Uber today went on an indefinite strike called by the transport wing of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena."Majority of them are blacklisted drivers, removed by the app taxi companies for misconduct against customers", he said. Here are the top 10 developments of the Ola, Uber strike: 1. Ola, Uber drivers’ strike starts: The transport wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has organised the indefinite strike of drivers of cab aggregators Uber and Ola starting today. The Ola and Uber drivers are demanding extra pay as a surge in the number of cabs on the two platforms, coupled with cutbacks in incentive payments, have stung drivers. 2. MNS leader breaks taxi windshield: The business of other transport modes, especially autos and normal taxis has often been reported to have taken a plunge in ridership ever since Uber and Ola forayed in India.
Showing his agnst agains this, MNS leader Nitin Nandgaonkar today afternoon broke the windshield of either an Ola or an Uber cab.Speaking on this, Al Quadros, general secretary, Mumbai Taximen's Union said. 3. Drivers claim Ola, Uber cheated them: Ola and Uber drivers said that while both the firms promised them an average monthly income between Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000, the same was not the case. However, they initially believed them, and ended up buying cars on loans. Now that they are being underpaid, they have decided to go on a strike, said Swaraj Vahan Chalak Malak Sanghatna President Guru Katti, reported Times of India. 4.Fuel hike adds to Ola, Uber drivers’ woes: Katti said a hike in the fuel prices have left drivers in distress with many being unable to pay their instalments and for the loans they took on their cabs, added the English daily. 5. Drop in per-km fare giving nightmares: Where the per-kilometre fare once to hover around Rs 10, the same has dropped to Rs 6 now due to the stiff competition between Ola and Uber. Moreover, Ola Share offers share pass varying on the distance one intends to travel. 6. Ola giving preference to cars owned by them: Allegations have also been made that Ola is giving preferences to its own cars rather than the ones owned by drivers. Highlighting one such incident, a driver said that even if a car owned by them is closer to a rider, the company will book for the rider the car that is owned by the company, according to media reports. 7. Police issue notice to union leaders in Mumbai: "Notices of section 149 of CrPC have been issued to Sanjay Naik, president, Arif Shaikh and Nitin Nandgaokar of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena as preventive action. If they violate any orders, they are liable to be prosecuted," said Pandit Thorat, senior inspector of the Andheri police station. 8. Uber stays mum: Uber was not immediately reachable for comment, while Ola's spokesman said it was too early in the day to measure the impact of the strike, according to news agency Reuters. 9. Not protesting for the first time: Earlier, on March 2017, Ola and Uber drivers went on a strike in Delhi-NCR region, demanding a hike in per km fare.Sarvodaya Drivers’ Association, which extended their support to 125,000 app-based taxi drivers in DelhiNCR, had demanded that fares be increased from existing Rs 6 per km to around Rs 20 per km. 10. Drivers had even tried to commit suicide: In March 2017, two drivers in Bengaluru had tried to commit suicide outside Ola’s office in the city, while one driver who ignored the strike was assaulted by protesters.
ARTICLE SOURCE- BUSINESS STANDARD.