The two-day strike called by app-based cab and autorickshaw drivers across the National Capital Region (NCR) in support of their demands, including verification of passengers, setting up an emergency control room for drivers, and stopping their alleged harassment by the Delhi police, ended on Monday, amid a mixed response from various unions.
All-Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union president Kishan Verma said that cab and autorickshaw drivers from across the NCR took part in the strike and held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. He added that representatives of various unions from across the country held a meeting at the Ambedkar Bhawan in Delhi on Monday to discuss their issues and decided to submit a memorandum to the concerned government agencies.
“At least half a dozen incidents of crime against cab drivers have been reported in the NCR over the past couple of months, raising concerns about their safety. The murder of Suraj Singh, a cab driver, in Gurugram recently made headlines. The accused had booked his cab and later murdered him to rob him of his vehicle. In another case, a cab was intercepted by the Haryana police following a tip-off that the passenger was carrying drugs. The driver, too, faced harassment. Hence, we demand that passengers should also be verified, just as drivers attached to aggregators such as Uber and Ola are duly verified. This is our major demand,” Mr. Verma said, adding that the strike failed to have a widespread impact due to a lack of coordination.
