Mumbai, July 20: In a major relief to commuters, the ongoing strike by drivers of app-based cab aggregators Ola, Uber and Rapido in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other cities in Maharashtra has been temporarily suspended until July 22, protest leaders announced late Saturday, July 19. The decision to suspend Ola, Uber strike in Maharashtra was made after discussions with Maharashtra transport department officials, who have sought time to address the drivers’ demands.

However, the hunger strike by Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha president Dr Keshav Nana Kshirsagar will continue. Kshirsagar clarified that the strike has only been suspended, not called off. “If the government does not respond positively by Tuesday, the strike will resume from Wednesday,” he told reporters. Ola, Uber Strike Causes Travel Woes for 4th Consecutive Day in Mumbai and Other Cities of Maharashtra: What Are Cab Drivers’ Key Demands?

Drivers Demand Fair Pay, Regulation

The Maharashtra Gig Kamgar Manch and other unions leading the agitation are demanding rationalised fares aligned with metered black-and-yellow taxis, a ban on bike taxis, a cap on permits for kaali-peeli cabs and autos, formation of a welfare board for drivers, and enactment of the Maharashtra Gig Workers’ Act. Protesters have also urged the government to help the family of a Nalasopara-based driver who allegedly died by suicide due to mounting debt.

According to drivers, current earnings, after deducting commissions and fuel expenses, drop as low as INR 8 to INR 12 per kilometre, making operations unsustainable amid rising fuel and maintenance costs. They have also opposed app-based platforms passing the cost of ride discounts onto drivers. Ola, Uber Strike in Maharashtra: Drivers Demand Reduced Commission Rates, Fixed Base Price Like Local Cabs and Implementation of Aggregator Policy by State Government.

Government Yet to Finalise Aggregator Policy

A long-awaited aggregator policy, which proposes fare structures, licensing guidelines, and enforcement mechanisms, remains pending approval. A senior transport official said, “We’ve initiated action against bike taxis like Rapido and are addressing tariff-related concerns in the upcoming policy. A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.”

In the interim, drivers have been advised to follow government-notified fares, not the app-displayed rates. Kshirsagar urged commuters to use the fare calculator website www.onlymeter.in to avoid being overcharged.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 20, 2025 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).