NEW DELHI/ NOIDA/ GURGAON: People in the city and neighbouring Gurgaon and Noida faced a lot of inconveniences in travelling on Friday due to the two-day autorickshaw-taxi strike called by 14 drivers’ unions. They are demanding a ban on app-based cab services and an increase in the regulated fares.
The auto and taxi unions contend that the proliferation of app-based cabs has led to a diminished demand for their services.A striking cabbie told TOI, “Not only are the app taxis taking away our passengers, but people pay the app taxis Rs 20 per km when our rate is just Rs 8-9 per km. CNG price has gone up and we feel our charge should be at least Rs15 a km.”
Kishan Verma, president, All-Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union, one of the organisers of the strike, said that the strike ended on Friday but if their demands weren’t met, they would withdraw from the roads again.
Across Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, finding a taxi or an auto was a difficult task on Friday. A commuter normally booked a cab from Noida to New Delhi Railway Station within five minutes. On Friday, even after half an hour, she was struggling. “The fare, which is usually Rs 250-Rs 300 kept increasing every time I refreshed the apps and switched between companies,” she said. “It rose to Rs 700. So, I decided to take an autorickshaw, but the auto driver initially refused me because he was scared to violate the strike call. Thankfully, he ultimately agreed to take me.”
Many people, aware of the auto-taxi strike, opted to use Delhi Metro but were still left hassled after being unable to find a commute to and from the metro station. Many of those living in the proximity of metro stations took bike and scooter services provided by the app companies.
Many drivers were reported to have demanded 2-3 times the normal fare for picking up passengers. After much trying, Vanshika Bansal booked a cab from North Campus to Noida Sector 135. “The driver refused to pick me saying there was a strike. Another driver demanded Rs 1,400 against the usual fare of Rs 500,” said Bansal. She took the metro to the Botanical Garden station, where she found no cabs. “With great difficulty, I was able to book a Rapido bike and am waiting for the rider,” she told TOI.
Yatin Dasniyal, a student at Galgotia’s University, also faced the brunt of Noida not having a public transport system. “I arrived at Botanical Garden from Moti Bagh by metro and haven’t been able to get a cab due to the strike,” the youngster said. Several cabs were parked outside the station, but they turned down all passengers. People had to fall back on private vehicles and minivans in Noida Sector 37 to reach their destinations. Residents of Ghaziabad were also affected by the strike.
Aniket Sangwan of Suncity in Gurgaon hailed a cab and an auto both online and from the streets but didn’t succeed. He finally requested a friend to pick him up in his car. Vinay Kumar too suffered, “I couldn’t book a cab on an app to reach my home in Sushant Lok in Gurgaon from New Delhi Railway Station. I managed an auto, but paid Rs 200 extra over the usual fare.”
Even some drivers of app-based taxi services supported the strike. Arun Kumar, one of them, said, “I am supporting the strike because our earnings have reduced after the platforms increased their commissions and decreased driver incentives.” Giving an example, he said. “The usual fare from Sector 18 Noida to New Delhi Railway Station is Rs 400. The cab aggregator takes Rs 100-150 of this as commission. Then, we have to pay Rs 100 as MCD toll for entering Delhi. After deducting expenses, including the fuel, how much do we have left?”
Not all unions participated in the strike. Rajendra Soni, general secretary, Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, said, “My union and five others didn’t participate in the strike because the app-based cabs are not in direct competition with autos.”
The auto and taxi unions contend that the proliferation of app-based cabs has led to a diminished demand for their services.A striking cabbie told TOI, “Not only are the app taxis taking away our passengers, but people pay the app taxis Rs 20 per km when our rate is just Rs 8-9 per km. CNG price has gone up and we feel our charge should be at least Rs15 a km.”
Kishan Verma, president, All-Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union, one of the organisers of the strike, said that the strike ended on Friday but if their demands weren’t met, they would withdraw from the roads again.
Across Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, finding a taxi or an auto was a difficult task on Friday. A commuter normally booked a cab from Noida to New Delhi Railway Station within five minutes. On Friday, even after half an hour, she was struggling. “The fare, which is usually Rs 250-Rs 300 kept increasing every time I refreshed the apps and switched between companies,” she said. “It rose to Rs 700. So, I decided to take an autorickshaw, but the auto driver initially refused me because he was scared to violate the strike call. Thankfully, he ultimately agreed to take me.”
Many people, aware of the auto-taxi strike, opted to use Delhi Metro but were still left hassled after being unable to find a commute to and from the metro station. Many of those living in the proximity of metro stations took bike and scooter services provided by the app companies.
Many drivers were reported to have demanded 2-3 times the normal fare for picking up passengers. After much trying, Vanshika Bansal booked a cab from North Campus to Noida Sector 135. “The driver refused to pick me saying there was a strike. Another driver demanded Rs 1,400 against the usual fare of Rs 500,” said Bansal. She took the metro to the Botanical Garden station, where she found no cabs. “With great difficulty, I was able to book a Rapido bike and am waiting for the rider,” she told TOI.
Yatin Dasniyal, a student at Galgotia’s University, also faced the brunt of Noida not having a public transport system. “I arrived at Botanical Garden from Moti Bagh by metro and haven’t been able to get a cab due to the strike,” the youngster said. Several cabs were parked outside the station, but they turned down all passengers. People had to fall back on private vehicles and minivans in Noida Sector 37 to reach their destinations. Residents of Ghaziabad were also affected by the strike.
Aniket Sangwan of Suncity in Gurgaon hailed a cab and an auto both online and from the streets but didn’t succeed. He finally requested a friend to pick him up in his car. Vinay Kumar too suffered, “I couldn’t book a cab on an app to reach my home in Sushant Lok in Gurgaon from New Delhi Railway Station. I managed an auto, but paid Rs 200 extra over the usual fare.”
Even some drivers of app-based taxi services supported the strike. Arun Kumar, one of them, said, “I am supporting the strike because our earnings have reduced after the platforms increased their commissions and decreased driver incentives.” Giving an example, he said. “The usual fare from Sector 18 Noida to New Delhi Railway Station is Rs 400. The cab aggregator takes Rs 100-150 of this as commission. Then, we have to pay Rs 100 as MCD toll for entering Delhi. After deducting expenses, including the fuel, how much do we have left?”
Not all unions participated in the strike. Rajendra Soni, general secretary, Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, said, “My union and five others didn’t participate in the strike because the app-based cabs are not in direct competition with autos.”
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