Bhubaneswar: Commuters continued to face inconvenience as the strike by drivers associated with ride-hailing platforms entered its third day on Wednesday, with hundreds of cab, auto-rickshaw and bike drivers staging a demonstration at Mahatma Gandhi Marg and intensifying their agitation over a seven-point charter of demands.
The prolonged strike has disrupted app-based transport services across the city, leaving passengers struggling to find affordable and convenient modes of transportation.
Hundreds of auto-rickshaws were seen parked along Mahatma Gandhi Marg as the protesting drivers raised slogans and pressed for their demands. The protesters also blocked roads near Master Canteen Square, affecting traffic movement in the area.
The drivers, associated with platforms including Ola, Uber, Rapido and Odisha Yatri, said their protest was not against the government or passengers but against what they described as declining earnings and inadequate regulation of app-based transport services.
“We are not against the government or the passengers. But our livelihood is being affected. When Ola, Uber, Rapido and Odisha Yatri entered the market, they offered us incentives and higher earnings. Earlier, we were getting around Rs 15 per kilometre, but now the rates have come down to around Rs 7-8 per kilometre,” a protesting driver said.
The drivers alleged that their concerns had remained unaddressed despite the strike continuing for the past two days.
“This is the third day of our protest and we have intensified the agitation as no one is listening to our issues. If our demands are not addressed, we will intensify the protest further,” the driver said.
The agitating drivers have demanded government regulation of fares charged by online taxi and ride-hailing platforms. They have sought a mechanism under which the state government and aggregator companies jointly fix minimum and maximum fares for passengers.
Another major demand is fair compensation for drivers for the time they spend waiting for passengers during a ride, as well as payment for instances where customers cancel bookings.
The protesters have also demanded restrictions on the addition of new vehicles to aggregator platforms. They want app-based companies to be barred from adding vehicles without a proper regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, the continued road blockades and demonstrations have added to the commuting woes of passengers in the capital. The drivers have warned that the agitation could be intensified further if the government and aggregator companies fail to address their demands.
With the strike entering its third day, commuters are now hoping for an early resolution to the standoff and restoration of normal ride-hailing services in the city.
