When cab aggregators like Ola and Uber first started in Delhi a decade ago, there were 22-23 unions to press for the rights and demands of drivers. The number has now shrunk to four, owing largely to a lack of support from the drivers themselves. “The unions will vanish when drivers for whom we are fighting stop supporting them. Now, as CNG prices are hiked, they are protesting against cab aggregators and fuel prices. The four unions that are left also have drivers associated with Zomato, Swiggy and other delivery firms. Every year, we protest and ministers meet us, promising to fulfil our demands, but it never happens. Drivers also carry on with what they are earning as they have to run their family,” said Ravi Rathore, member of the Sarvo-daya Driver Welfare Association. This week, the unions will meet and decide whether to resume their agitation. Drivers employed with cab aggregators, said Rathore, “work with no profit, no rights, no negotiation power or social security”. “Their situation is worse than the e-rickshaw drivers, who earn more than us. After the companies take their commission, the driver gets just Rs 6.70-7 per km, even as the CNG rate in Delhi has reached Rs 71 and petrol has crossed Rs 100,” he said. Currently, there are around 80,000 cabs associated with cab aggregators and more than 2 lakh drivers employed with ride-hailing apps. Both Ola and Uber did not respond to queries on the subject. Unions also claim that as many as 55 drivers were murdered or died in accidents while on duty, but their families have not been provided with any support or compensation. However, a senior transport official said, “The Delhi government can revise the fare of individually owned commercial/ passenger vehicles like autorickshaws and taxis. But it cannot interfere in the matters of private firms or regulate the prices of app-based cab services. The central government can take such a decision and bring change. The Delhi government is, however, working on a Delhi Taxi Scheme.” The unions have planned an indefinite hunger strike unless their demand of either 50% subsidy on CNG price or regulating fares is met. They said they will seek permission from the Delhi Police to hold a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence and on Parliament Street. Kamaljeet Singh, president of Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi, said, “Two weeks ago, we met the transport minister and discussed the issues being faced by Ola and Uber cab drivers. He assured us our demands will be addressed and that the government is forming a committee to revise fares of autos and taxis. Following this, we postponed our protest for 15 days but nothing has been done in this period. So, we are planning to resume our strike. This time, we will sit on a hunger strike outside the PM’s residence and on Parliament Street.” Singh, who is also vice-president of the Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT), added, “We are giving an ultimatum to the Centre and state to regulate cab aggregators and fix a single fare price for AC and non-AC cars or give 50% subsidy on CNG price.” “. We looked into the committee and there is not a single member from the unions.,” added Sumit Bharadwaj, president, Expert Driver Solution Association. Ola and Uber drivers were the first to stage a protest in Delhi on April 8 against the rise in petrol, diesel and CNG prices, and were also the last to withdraw it. They found support in other unions for autorickshaws, black-and-yellow taxis, tourist taxis, and corporate drivers. “I took a loan to buy a car and everything I earn goes to its repayment. In an auto, you get Rs 25 for the first 2 km and Rs 8 for every subsequent kilometre. While in cabs we earn Rs 6-7 per km,” said Sunita, a cab driver employed by a cab aggregator. Key demands include fare revision, exemption of taxis registered in Delhi from MCD toll tax, implementation of the Delhi City Taxi Policy 2017 as suggested by the apex court, and bringing all taxis and cabs under one head managed by the Delhi government with fixed prices. The four cab unions currently leading the stir by cab aggregators are Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi, Expert Driver Solution Association, Sarvodaya Driver Welfare Association and Taxi Union-NCR Helpline.
