3 days ago
Cab drivers threaten road blockade if govt fails to act on demands
Nagpur: Drivers operating app-based cab services in the city sought govt intervention to resolve their issues and warned of staging blockade by parking their cabs on roads in front of govt offices if their demands for fare revision, company benefits and better working conditions are not met.
The drivers staged a protest at Samvidhan Chowk to raise their demands and stayed off roads on Thursday. "Our only demand is fare increase, dignified working environment and secure livelihoods," a driver said.
App-based cab drivers have alleged prolonged neglect by authorities despite repeatedly raising grievances with app-based aggregator companies, the RTO, and even the collector's office. Deepak Sane, one of the protesting drivers, alleged that during the pandemic, companies initially promised benefits like Covid insurance but later denied claims.
"One of the drivers died in an accident during Covid, but the company rejected the claim, citing the cause as infection, not accident," he said.
The drivers also complained about the lack of physical infrastructure and support. "Local offices have been shut, and there's no designated pickup point at the Nagpur railway station. We requested RTO for a taxi booth but got no response," said Sane.
Vinod Vivahare, Mahamantri of the Rashtriya Chalak Malak Sangathan, raised the safety issue.
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"Passengers have panic buttons, but drivers don't. If a passenger turns violent or abusive, there's no way for us to seek help," he said.
Driver Bhushan Jachak said, "We follow all rules and regulations laid down by the companies and govt, yet we are not being paid fairly. All we want is that govt's approved fare rates be applied to app-based cab services."
Rajat Chaudhary, another driver, highlighted the economic pressure. "We bought cars on loans. Even after working 14-15 hours a day, we earn only Rs2,000-Rs3,000. That's not enough to cover fuel, EMIs, and household expenses. How is this sustainable?" he said.
