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Do you use Ola and Uber for your daily commute? If yes, you may want to find other modes of transport as drivers for app-based cab aggregators Uber and Ola on Monday started an indefinite strike across India. The strike, which began at midnight on Sunday, centred on Mumbai and was called by Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's transport union. The strike, which will be observed in key cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, aims to voice the drivers’ woes of not being able to cover rising costs due to falling business. They are currently being paid Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month, according to media reports. "Ola and Uber had given big assurances to the drivers, but today they are unable to cover their costs. They have invested Rs 500,000 to Rs 700,000 and were expecting to make Rs 150,000 a month. But drivers are unable to make even half of this because of the mismanagement by these companies," said Sanjay Naik, President of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena, reported news agency PTI. Naik accused Ola and Uber of giving priority to company-owned cars rather than driver-owned ones, thereby, hitting their business. In Mumbai alone, there are over 45,000 Ola and Uber cabs but a slump in business has seen a drop of about 20 per cent in their numbers. Meanwhile, the police has issued notices to leaders of the union under section 149 of CrPC relating to unlawful assembly. Here are the top 10 developments of the Ola, Uber strike: 1. Ola, Uber drivers’ strike starts: The transport wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has organised the indefinite strike of drivers of cab aggregators Uber and Ola starting today. The Ola and Uber drivers are demanding extra pay as a surge in the number of cabs on the two platforms, coupled with cutbacks in incentive payments, have stung drivers. While taxi-hailing companies offered loan-guarantee letters to drivers through the Mudra scheme and that too without any verification, they are defaulting on repayment now as their costs are not covered, Naik claimed. Other taxi unions, including the Mumbai Taximen's Union, have extended support. 2. MNS leader breaks taxi windshield: The business of other transport modes, especially autos and normal taxis has often been reported to have taken a plunge in ridership ever since Uber and Ola forayed in India. Showing his agnst agains this, MNS leader Nitin Nandgaonkar today afternoon broke the windshield of either an Ola or an Uber cab. #WATCH Mumbai taxi drivers strike: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Nitin Nandgaonkar breaks windshield of a taxi which was plying in the city pic.twitter.com/ZERyZXU68h We demand that Ola and Uber taxis agree to the laws by which the yellow-black taxis are run. They are doing business unlawfully: Sanjay Naik, MNS on strike of Ola and Uber taxi drivers called by Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena in #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/RghCnobT6g
Speaking on this, Al Quadros, general secretary, Mumbai Taximen's Union said, "The transport department should take strict action as these taxi-hailing companies are violating permit conditions, and also encroaching on the taxi-rickshaw business. It is good they are going on strike.” Sanjay Naik demanded that the ride hailers comply with norms similar to that of the fleet of yellow-black taxis in the state. "We expect the cab companies to come to the table today and discuss with the government how they can come at par with the black and yellow taxis, and other public modes of transport," said Sanjay Naik, according to news agency PTI. "If there is no meeting or resolution, then we shall decide on our next course of action," he said.
3. Drivers claim Ola, Uber cheated them: Ola and Uber drivers said that while both the firms promised them an average monthly income between Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000, the same was not the case. However, they initially believed them, and ended up buying cars on loans. Now that they are being underpaid, they have decided to go on a strike, said Swaraj Vahan Chalak Malak Sanghatna President Guru Katti, reported Times of India. An average cost of a car varies between Rs 500,000 to 700,000. ALSO READ: Uber, Ola go slow on electric mobility drive as charging infra a concern 4.
Fuel hike adds to Ola, Uber drivers’ woes: Katti said a hike in the fuel prices have left drivers in distress with many being unable to pay their instalments and for the loans they took on their cabs, added the English daily.
5. Drop in per-km fare giving nightmares: Where the per-kilometre fare once to hover around Rs 10, the same has dropped to Rs 6 now due to the stiff competition between Ola and Uber. Moreover, Ola Share offers share pass varying on the distance one intends to travel. For instance, one can buy a pass for Rs 10 valid for 30 days, where one would be required to pay just Rs 30 for distance up to four kms and Rs 200 for distance up to 20 kms. Similarly, Uber offers slashes rates on its ‘POOL’ rides and often gives 50 per cent discount to users on Uber Go, which is the cheapest Uber car ride after share. 6. Ola giving preference to cars owned by them: Allegations have also been made that Ola is giving preferences to its own cars rather than the ones owned by drivers. Highlighting one such incident, a driver said that even if a car owned by them is closer to a rider, the company will book for the rider the car that is owned by the company, according to media reports. ALSO READ: Ola spreads wings in Australia to build profit base, take on Uber in India 7. Police issue notice to union leaders in Mumbai: "Notices of section 149 of CrPC have been issued to Sanjay Naik, president, Arif Shaikh and Nitin Nandgaokar of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena as preventive action. If they violate any orders, they are liable to be prosecuted," said Pandit Thorat, senior inspector of the Andheri police station. 8. Uber stays mum: Uber was not immediately reachable for comment, while Ola's spokesman said it was too early in the day to measure the impact of the strike, according to news agency Reuters. "We have been informed by the Mumbai Police that they have proactively taken all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of commuters during the cab rides in the city," an Ola spokesperson said. 9. Not protesting for the first time: Earlier, on March 2017, Ola and Uber drivers went on a strike in Delhi-NCR region, demanding a hike in per km fare. Sarvodaya Drivers’ Association, which extended their support to 125,000 app-based taxi drivers in Delhi-NCR, had demanded that fares be increased from existing Rs 6 per km to around Rs 20 per km. It also demanded the abolition of 25 per cent commission the drivers are charged by companies. They had gone on strike in February, too, which had lasted 13 days, causing inconvenience to commuters in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad. 10. Drivers had even tried to commit suicide: In March 2017, two drivers in Bengaluru had tried to commit suicide outside Ola’s office in the city, while one driver who ignored the strike was assaulted by protesters. Drivers attached to Uber and Ola in Bengaluru had started their hunger strike at Freedom Park to protest against falling earnings on the cab-hailing platforms. Even then, drivers had been complaining of falling earnings as both companies had reduced incentives. These companies had also kept fares rock-bottom as they fear losing customers if prices were increased.
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