This is an archive article published on March 24, 2020
As cabs go off Delhi roads, owners say they have EMIs to pay and mouths to feed
Many drivers said they had been saving up money for months to buy land in Outer Delhi or back home in their villages. But with the lockdown in effect, they have to dip into their savings to keep themselves afloat.
Outside Kashmere Gate ISBT Monday. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)
Puneet Chadha, owner of a cab service in Connaught Place, had recently acquired a Maruti Ertiga to supplement his fleet of 12 vehicles. However, ever since the lockdown in the capital due to coronavirus — as part of which cabs and taxis will not be allowed to operate until March 31 — Chadha fears his decision to buy the vehicle on an EMI of around Rs 19,000 will take a toll on his finances.
“If you would have told me this during Holi, I would not have believed it. Nobody would have,” said Chadha.
Like Chadha, many drivers and taxi service providers across the city depend on commuters for their daily survival.
They have to pay EMIs on their vehicles, meet daily expenses to sustain their family members, and pay rent.
Many drivers said they had been saving up money for months to buy land in Outer Delhi or back home in their villages. But with the lockdown in effect, they have to dip into their savings to keep themselves afloat.
Some, though, have found a silver lining. “I used to sleep for three-four hours a day as I used to drive around the Gurgaon-Delhi border, ferrying mostly call centre employees. Now with no work, I can at least sleep for eight hours,” said Gurvinder, a driver.
On the other hand, Shiv Kumar, who runs Baba Haridass taxi service in Dwarka, has not found work for the past 15 days. His last earning was Rs 800 on March 6.
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“I have just been sitting at home. I have a fleet of 20 vehicles and EMI for each is in the range of Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000. I was looking forward to a trip to Manali this summer, not a lockdown,” he said.
Similarly, taxi service provider Hridesh has around 12 drivers who depend on him for their livelihood. They used to earn Rs 450 for an 8-hour shift; now they have asked him for an advance payment.
“Most of our customers work at corporate offices. They pay us on a monthly basis; now those payments are stuck. People are saying we should give paid leave to our drivers. But how can I when I don’t have money to last till March 31?” said Hridesh.
Manoj, a driver who lives in a rented accommodation in Delhi, said: “I live alone in Delhi and my family is in UP. In such a scenario, I could have gone back home. Now with the border sealed, I’m stuck in the city. I won’t be able to pay my rent this month.”
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Hukum Singh, a driver with a cab aggregator, drove his last customer a week ago. With Uber suspending its services in the city, he said: “I have a big family, including three children. There are going to be daily expenses. Thankfully, I have no EMI but it will difficult to survive without a job after three days.”
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
4 min read
Outside Kashmere Gate ISBT Monday. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)
