Uber hikes Delhi-NCR fares by 12% over rising fuel prices
Cab hailing service Uber increased its fares in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) by 12% on Monday amid a fuel price hike. Uber raised its prices to protect its drivers, who have recently been protesting due to the rising fuel prices and have threatened to go on an indefinite strike. It had recently hiked taxi fares by 15% in Mumbai for the same reason.
Uber's statement on hiking taxi fares in Delhi-NCR
"We listen to feedback from drivers...To help cushion drivers from the impact of the spike in fuel prices, Uber has raised trip fares in Delhi-NCR by 12%," said Nitish Bhushan, the head of central operations at Uber (India and South Asia). "Over the coming weeks, we will continue to track fuel price movements and will take further steps as needed," he added.
Taxi drivers protested; adopted 'no-AC policy' in several cities
Backed by several unions, taxi drivers protested at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on April 8, demanding a reduction in CNG, petrol, and diesel prices, which have consistently risen by Rs. 10/liter in 16 days. Drivers of Uber and Ola in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and some other cities have reportedly also adopted a "no-AC policy," where they ask for extra money from customers to turn on air-conditioning.
Uber criticizes 'no-AC' protest by drivers
An Uber spokesperson recently said that the company "does not levy extra charges for switching on the AC during a ride and any driver who is charging such a fee will face action from the company for violating our community guidelines."
Drivers also canceling unprofitable rides
A recent survey found that 79% of people who faced ride cancellations said the drivers cited unfavorable destinations or non-cash modes of payment. The community platform LocalCircles survey collected 65,000 responses from app-based taxi customers across 324 districts of India. Driver cancellations bothered 47% of respondents, followed by surge pricing (32%), long waiting times (9%), safety issues (5%), and non-compliance with COVID-19 protocol (3%).
Current fuel prices in Delhi-NCR
Petrol and diesel prices were raised by 80 paise/liter each on April 6, bringing the total increase in rates in 16 days to Rs. 10/liter. Petrol now costs Rs. 105.41/liter in Delhi, while diesel costs Rs. 96.67/liter. Meanwhile, CNG costs Rs. 69.11/kg in Delhi's National Capital Territory (NCT). Since March, CNG prices in Delhi have also risen by Rs. 12.48/kg.
