MUMBAI: Booking an app-based cab or auto-rickshaw may be difficult on Saturday as drivers associated with aggregator platforms have decided to go on a one-day nationwide strike. These drivers will not log in to their ride-hailing apps, a move which could keep a majority of yellow-plated taxis off the roads in Mumbai and its metropolitan region. Driver unions said the strike will significantly affect commuters who rely on aggregator services such as Ola, Uber and Rapido for daily travel.
The protest, dubbed the ‘All India Breakdown’, will see drivers switching off their apps simultaneously across the country. The unions have accused aggregator companies of exploiting drivers and failing to follow state and central government rules on minimum fares and regulation. In a letter to Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, the unions highlighted what they described as “long-pending and unresolved issues” faced by app-based transport workers nationwide.
Union leaders wrote that there are no government-fixed fare systems for riders working for Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter and other aggregator platforms operating autos, cabs and bike taxis. With companies deciding their own fares, the result is “severe income insecurity, exploitation, and unsustainable working conditions for millions of transport workers” read a letter written by Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT). The union urged the government to “act now”, claiming that millions of app-based drivers are being pushed into poverty while aggregator companies continue to earn profits.
“We are demanding the cancellation of the Aggregator Policy 2025 or the inclusion of necessary provisions in it. The strike is also against illegal bike-taxi services and the arbitrary fare-charging policies of companies such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido,” said Prashant Sawardekar, founder and president of IFAT.
According to Sawardekar the strike was in opposition to a provision in the Aggregator Policy 2025 that allows companies to charge fares up to 50% lower than the meter-based fares applicable in a particular state. “Drivers are facing difficulties due to arbitrary practices and frequently changing rules imposed by app-based companies. Despite repeated complaints to the Transport Department regarding these issues, no resolution has been found,” said Sawardekar.
The drivers’ demands include regulatory supervision, a transparent fare system and safeguards for their livelihoods. Union members said there is an urgent need for the central and state governments to notify minimum base fares for app-based transport services, including autos, cabs and other aggregator services. These fares should be finalised in consultation with recognised driver and worker unions, in line with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.
Keshav Nana Kshirsagar, president of the Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha or the Indian Gig Workers Forum said that there should be a strict ban on the use of private, non-commercial vehicles for commercial passenger and goods transport. He added that these vehicles should be converted to commercial ones as mandated by the Motor Vehicles Act.
Khirasagar said, “For several months, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers have been raising their concerns through various democratic agitations. In this context, the transport department has repeatedly issued written directives to Ola, Uber, and Rapido to comply with government-approved regulations, yet no concrete action has been taken against companies that continue to openly defy official orders.”
The unions also criticised illegal bike-taxi services, saying they have led to fatal accidents in Mumbai, resulting in loss of life and permanent disabilities. “As these services are illegal, accident victims are denied any form of insurance coverage, which is a matter of grave concern. Additionally, cab drivers are being financially exploited in the name of panic button compliance,” said Kshirsagar.
According to him, there are nearly 140 panic button device providers approved by the central government, but the state government has declared nearly 70% of these companies unauthorized. “As a result, cab drivers are being forced to remove previously installed devices and spend approximately ₹12,000 unnecessarily to install new devices, causing severe financial hardship,” added Kshirsagar.
The aggregator companies did not comment on the one-day strike.