Kolkata, Feb 27: Thousands of commuters in Kolkata faced difficulties on Thursday morning as nearly 7,000 app-based cabs and several thousand app bikes remained off the roads for 12 hours. The strike, called by the CITU-affiliated Kolkata Ola Uber App Cab Operators and Drivers Union, was aimed at pressing for a fare hike and policy changes by the ride-hailing aggregators.
Key Demands of the Strike
The union has put forth several demands, including:- Annual fare revisions are mandated under the Aggregate Law to make pricing more rational and practical.
- Revised fare structure, with ₹25 per km for non-AC cabs, ₹30 per km for AC cabs, and ₹12 per km for app-based bikes.
- Commercial app bike registration allows only those with proper commercial number plates to operate.
- Extension of the March 31 deadline by one month for app bike owners to obtain commercial registration.
- Ending harassment of app-based cab and bike drivers by transport authorities and law enforcement, particularly near key locations like airports and railway stations.
- Availability of CNG at designated pumps and installing more CNG stations for app-based cabs.
Impact on Commuters and Response from Authorities
While the strike led to a shortage of app-based cabs, resulting in higher fares charged by non-app and luxury taxis during peak hours, a transport department official downplayed the disruption. According to the official, only 15-20% of the city's 25,000 app cabs were affected, ensuring minimal service disruptions.The official also noted that no other app cab unions joined the strike, and authorities deployed police and traffic personnel at key locations to prevent any enforcement of the shutdown.
Union Warns of Indefinite Strike
General Secretary of the AITUC-affiliated West Bengal Taxi Operators' Coordination Committee, Nawalkishore Srivastava, expressed moral support for the strike. Meanwhile, the striking union has warned that if their demands are not met within a month, they will call for an indefinite strike, potentially causing more severe disruptions for daily commuters.The situation remains tense as discussions between drivers, aggregators, and transport authorities continue.
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