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Members of the Chandigarh Taxi Union continued their protest on Saturday to press for their long-standing demands against cab aggregators, alleging continued exploitation despite government-mandated policies.
Speaking at ANI, Chandigarh Taxi Union president Amandeep Singh said drivers have been agitating for 90 days against major ride-hailing companies. He said drivers are being denied both the government-fixed fares and the benefits promised under the state's aggregator policy. "For 90 days, we have been staging a protest here against cab aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, who have been exploiting us for a year. We are receiving neither the government-mandated fares--fixed on July 7, 2025--nor the benefits stipulated in the aggregator policy (dated June 6, 2025), which includes Rs 6 lakh in medical insurance, Rs 10 lakh in term insurance, and a ban on attaching private vehicles... We have held eleven strikes over the past fifteen months," he said. The union president claimed a partial victory in its campaign, saying it managed to get action taken against a few aggregators. "We succeeded in getting the licenses of two companies suspended," he said. "We appeal to the government, the public, and fellow drivers to understand that we are fighting solely for justice," he added. This agitation comes amid the wider debate over app-based mobility services and their impact on traditional transport operators. Earlier, Commercial vehicle drivers in Delhi-NCR had also conducted a three-day strike from May 21 to 23, demanding an immediate revision of taxi and auto fares amid rising fuel prices and alleged economic exploitation by app-based cab aggregators. According to a letter submitted by the "Chalak Shakti Union" to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, Transport Minister, and Police Commissioner, the strike has been called in support of a nationwide protest announced by the All India Motor Transport Congress. The union stated that taxi fares in Delhi-NCR have not been revised for nearly 15 years despite a steep rise in the prices of CNG, petrol and diesel, along with increased costs of vehicle maintenance, insurance, fitness certificates, permits and other daily essentials. The same concerns have been showcased in Maharashtra over bike-taxi operators, with cab-based drivers expressing that it will decrease their earnings. (ANI)
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