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Nearly one lakh autorickshaws went off the roads here today during a day-long strike to press for regulation of app-based cab services, hitting commuters hard with many stranded in several places across the metropolis.
Protesting rickshaw owners and drivers under the Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s Union are demanding effective regulation on business operation of popular app-based taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber.
‘Threat to livelihood’
“The government has miserably failed to regulate the practice of transportation of passengers via cab services booked through call centres which are making a dent in our business,” Union leader Shashank Rao told PTI.
“They are also eating into our livelihood without following any rules. We resorted to this strike as we had no option left. The transport ministry has turned a deaf ear to our legitimate demands,” said Rao.
The protesters are demanding that a badge be given to all rickshaw drivers and owners, who are in this business for three years without imposing any restrictions on them.
Currently, there are 1.05 lakh registered rickshaws plying in the city and the Rao-led union claims to have over 90 per cent of them in its fold.
“Out of these, 1.05 lakh registered rickshaws, almost 98,000-99,000 rickshaws are off the roads today, which shows our strength,” Rao added.
Extra buses
Meanwhile, a senior Transport department official said that it is unfortunate that despite being given an assurance from the government, they went ahead with the strike. He, however, said that the administration has taken ample measures, including plying of additional civic BEST buses to ferry commuters.
Manoj Varade, spokesperson of BEST, told PTI, “Our administration has given a free hand to all 27 bus depot managers across the city to operate additional services as per requirement.”
Govt assurance
On August 29, two auto and taxi driver unions – Jai Bhagwan Taxi Rickshaw Sangathana and Nitesh Rane-led Swabhimaan Sanghatana – had put on hold their decision till September 1 to go an indefinite strike in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai after the Maharashtra government promised to look into their demands.
Their three key demands included to put the operations of app-based cab aggregators on hold till rules and regulations are formulated by the state government.
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