Brace for it! Kaali-peelis, Ola-Uber drivers on strike in Delhi tomorrow

SDAD is leading the protest like it did in February

Ola-Uber and other kaali-peeli taxi drivers have called for a one-day strike in Delhi-NCR region on Tuesday. Not only will prices surge tomorrow but people will have to wait for long to hail a cab, reported the Hindustan Times.

1-5 lakh app-based taxis in Delhi-NCR have decided not to take out their vehicles on April 18. They have planned  a protest march to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in Civil Lines from the Majnu Ka Tila Gurudwara, said the HT report.

The drivers have renewed the stir as they feel their demands have fallen on deaf ears — “neither the companies nor the Delhi government has done anything,” they claim.

Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi (SDAD) is leading the  protest. It is the same drivers’ union, which had organised the previous strike earlier this year in Delhi.

“Nothing has changed since our February protest. Drivers continue to slog for 16-18 hours daily and still are barely earning enough to eat and pay the car EMIs. Fares of registered city taxis can only be fixed by the government, whereas, Ola-Uber still continue to levy their own rates,” said Kamaljeet Gill, president SDAD. 

“Drivers of Ola-Uber are suffering because they are working like bonded labourers and are earning pittance. Like we have always been demanding, they also want meters installed in cabs and rates to be fixed by the government. Our issues have now become common and so we will fight together,” said Sanjay Samrat of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association.

He added that the app-based cab companies are flouting laws as well as directions issued by the Supreme Court. “Cabs are illegally being run on shared basis. Ola and Uber are giving away cars with AIT permits to drivers on a small down payment of R 35,000. As per the law, vehicles with these permits cannot be run on point-to-point basis,” Samrat said.