Delhi Drivers Announce Three-Day Strike Over Fare Hike
Commercial vehicle drivers to stage protest from May 21 to 23 against rising fuel prices
- Delhi taxi and auto unions announce three-day strike from May 21
- Drivers demand fare revision amid rising fuel and maintenance costs
- Unions accuse Ola, Uber and Rapido of economic exploitation
- Protest planned at Delhi Secretariat on May 23
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th May: Commercial vehicle drivers’ unions in Delhi on Tuesday announced a three-day strike from May 21 to 23, demanding an increase in taxi and auto fares and alleging economic exploitation by app-based cab aggregators.
The strike call has been jointly supported by multiple transport organisations, including the Chaalak Shakti Union.
Union vice-president Anuj Kumar Rathore said rising prices of CNG, petrol and diesel have severely affected the livelihoods of middle-class drivers.
“Drivers are struggling to support their families because of continuously increasing fuel prices,” Rathore said while appealing to drivers not to operate vehicles during the strike period.
The unions claimed taxi fares in Delhi-NCR have remained unchanged for nearly 15 years despite inflation and rising operational costs.
According to the unions, expenses related to vehicle maintenance, insurance, permits, fitness certificates and daily essentials have significantly reduced drivers’ earnings.
The transport bodies also accused app-based companies including Ola, Uber and Rapido of operating arbitrarily and economically exploiting drivers in the Delhi-NCR region.
The All India Motor Transport Congress has written to Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Rekha Gupta seeking immediate fare revision.
The organisation warned that if the government fails to issue a notification increasing taxi fares within one or two weeks, the agitation could escalate into a larger protest movement.
Unions also announced a protest outside the Delhi Secretariat on May 23.
The strike announcement comes days after petrol and diesel prices were increased by nearly 90 paise per litre.
In Delhi, petrol prices rose from ₹97.77 to ₹98.64 per litre, while diesel prices increased from ₹90.67 to ₹91.58 per litre.
