Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : Drivers of app-based taxis and autorickshaws across the country observed a day-long strike on Saturday in response to a call by a drivers’ union, demanding action on multiple long-pending issues, including a crackdown on illegal bike taxi services and relief over the mandatory installation of panic buttons.
In Maharashtra, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik issued a warning to ride-hailing companies, saying the state government would not hesitate to act if aggregators treated drivers unfairly. Speaking to reporters in Thane, Sarnaik said the government was prepared to support drivers on all genuine concerns but stressed that the agitation should not cause inconvenience to the public.
“If the owners of Ola, Uber or Rapido behave incorrectly and do injustice to drivers, the state government will take appropriate action against them,” the minister said, adding that officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) were in constant coordination with driver unions.
Dr Keshav Kshirsagar, head of the Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha, told that the strike began in the morning across Maharashtra and several other parts of the country. He claimed that most taxi and autorickshaw drivers supported the protest and had kept their vehicles off the roads.
However, despite the strike call, app-based taxi and autorickshaw services remained available on major platforms such as Uber, Ola and Rapido since early morning, suggesting partial participation in the protest.
The Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha said the strike was aimed at opposing what it described as the “arbitrary” fare policies of ride aggregators and demanding strict enforcement against allegedly illegal bike taxi operations, which the union claims are hurting the livelihoods of licensed taxi and autorickshaw drivers.
The union also raised concerns over the mandatory installation of panic buttons in vehicles, calling it a major financial burden. In a statement, it said that while 140 panic button device providers are approved by the central government, the state government has declared nearly 70 per cent of them unauthorised. As a result, drivers are being forced to remove previously installed devices and spend around Rs 12,000 to install new ones, leading to significant financial hardship.
Additionally, the drivers’ body flagged loss of income due to the increasing number of autorickshaws operating under the open permit policy and alleged that victims of accidents involving illegal bike taxis are often denied insurance benefits.
Minister Sarnaik reiterated that the government remains open to dialogue and urged drivers to clearly communicate their expectations, assuring them of support on legitimate issues while ensuring that commuters do not suffer due to the strike.
