Cab drivers' strike affects normal taxi services, fares hike
"Over 10 unions have extended support for this protest. As many as 1.20 lakh workers will be part of this movement across the state. For the next three days, Ola, Uber and other services will be affected, " he said.
Representative image
CHENNAI: With a section of cab drivers joining a two-day strike, commuters who use the app-based cab services on Monday faced difficulties in hiring a car for the travel and steep hikes in fares.
The strike was called by a group of 14 drivers' associations including the CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu Call Taxi Drivers Union and Tamil Nadu Urimai Kural Driver Trade Union seeking to regulate the cab aggregators, ban bike taxis, government launch its own app and fix fares for taxis.
Zahir Hussain, the state secretary of Tamil Nadu Urimai Kural Driver Trade Union, said they staged a protest in Little Mount in Chennai, urging the government to heed their demands. On Tuesday, they will lay siege to the transport department offices in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore, etc.
"Over 10 unions have extended support for this protest. As many as 1.20 lakh workers will be part of this movement across the state. For the next three days, Ola, Uber and other services will be affected, " he said.
He demanded the government to implement the aggregators rule which was part of the new Motor Vehicle Act. "The government has implemented the hike in traffic violation fines and others in the newly amended MV act but did not enforce the aggregator rules, " he said, adding that if a commuter pays a fare of Rs 100, the cab aggregators take Rs 30. We want the government to launch its app and attach all the drivers, " he said.
K Sundaram, a resident of Thoraipakkam said that when he tried to book a taxi to Virugambakkam on Monday morning, it showed a fare of Rs 1,200 which is over two times the normal fare charged by the cabs.
The protesters also demanded the government to remove the toll booths operating despite their agreement period. The drivers have urged the government to act against those renting private vehicles. On Wednesday, the drivers called for a protest at Egmore's Rajarathinam Stadium to amplify their demands.