Chennai: Cab rides turn expensive as Ola, Uber drivers go on strike
CHENNAI: OLA and UBER cab services burnt holes in the pockets of thousands of commuters across Chennai city after a large section of cab drivers affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) went on strike on Wednesday.
The Tamil Nadu Call Taxi Drivers and Owners Association affiliated to the CITU Chennai Maha Nagar Motor Vahana Thozhilaar Sangam called for a strike to urge the government to introduce standard auto metres for call-taxis and revise the government order relaxing the eight-hour per day restriction on call-taxis. They claimed that cab drivers are getting exploited by cab aggregators.
Since 40,000 vehicles participated in the strike on Wednesday, OLA and UBER introduced surge pricing early morning. This led to increasing cab fares across the city up to three times the normal fare.
“I paid Rs 250 for an OLA cab to go to Thiruvalluvar Nagar in Thiruvanmiyur from T Nagar Burkit Road which normally charged Rs 80”, said R Siddharth, an advocate, who has been regularly using cab services.
The condition of many other commuters who depend on cab services for their transportation was no different. Particularly, those commuters heading to airport, the CMBT terminus, Central and Egmore railway stations for outstation travel were the worst affected.
During morning hours, the cab fare from Chennai airport to the CMBT stood at Rs 450 as against Rs 230 on normal days. It slowly increased in the day and reached upto Rs 600 to Rs 700 along all congested routes for which the normal fare is Rs 250.
“I have two huge luggage bags which I cannot take into buses. For a travel from Thiruvanmiyur to the CMBT, I was charged Rs 480 as against Rs 220 which I regularly pay,” said R Sharadha, who took an Ola cab.
Cashing in on the commuters’ demands, OLA introduced surge pricing in autos as well. However, it could not meet the passenger demands in southern parts of Chennai city. During afternoon hours, MTC buses in southern parts of Chennai covered Uthandi, Tambaram, Chromepet, Guindy, Kelampakkam, Neelankarai, Thuraipakkam, Sholinganallur and Thiruvanmiyur and they all carried jampacked crowds.
Around 5 pm, the call-taxi drivers called off the protest. However, cab services did not resume normalcy as many did not return to work.
The protesting cab drivers urged the government to constitute a committee to fix standard metre fare for call-taxis in Chennai. The OLA and CAB take 27 per cent of earnings as commission and hence, the drivers struggle to meet their family demands.
“Cab fare of Rs 6 to Rs 9 per km was too low because more than 50 per cent cabs are running on rentals, while 25 per cent cabs were purchased through bank loans. It’s nearly impossible to earn Rs 3000 a day if we work only for eight hours. Currently, a driver has to drive for about 250 to 300 km a day within Chennai city to earn Rs 2000. After spending for fuel we earn Rs 450 to Rs 500 a day,” said V Athimulam, treasurer, Chennai ‘Thozhargal, an unorganised car drivers’ association.
Tamil Nadu Call Taxi Owners and Drivers Association president P Anabazhagan said the government should fix standard fares for call-taxis in Chennai and revise the permit rules to allow two drivers for cars so as to operate tourist taxis for more than 12 hours.
Thousands of drivers who protested near Chepauk stadium raised slogans, urging the government to constitute a committee to protect the welfare of about 60,000 families involved in the business. Then, the union members submitted a petition to Transport Commissioner Dayanand Kataria. The transport officials assured to look into the issue in 15 days.
Later in the evening addressing a press meet, Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar said the call-taxi drivers’ demands come under the purview of the Union government and the State government cannot increase the maximum working hours of drivers.
40,000
Vehicles that participated in the strike (approx)
A700
Fares on Wednesday, in routes where normal fares are D250
27%
Percentage of their earnings the drivers say is taken
by cab aggreg-ators.
They want the share reduced