2 lakh Ola, Uber drivers go on strike in Delhi-NCR
Nearly two lakh drivers of cab aggregator services Ola and Uber in the Delhi-NCR region have decided to go on strike starting Tuesday. The drivers have demanded an extension of the moratorium on repayment of loans and a hike in fare in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, they planned to assemble near Himachal Bhawan at Mandi House as part of the protest.
Drivers fear pressure from banks for loan repayment
The drivers of the cab services have given the strike call since their appeal has not led to any action by the government, Kamaljeet Singh Gill, president of Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi, said. He added the drivers are scared that banks might tow away their vehicles for failing to pay loan installments. The six-month RBI-mandated moratorium period ended on August 31.
'Drivers facing difficulty in feeding their families'
"Due to acute financial crisis caused by lockdown, drivers are unable to pay their EMIs. The moratorium of loan repayment ended today and the banks are already putting pressure on us. Drivers are scared that banks will tow away their vehicles," Gill said on Monday. "Most of the drivers are finding it difficult to feed their families at this time," he added.
They also demand higher commission, withdrawal of penalty
Apart from extension of moratorium and fare hike, the drivers have also demanded the withdrawal of e-challans issued against their vehicles for speed limit violations. They have also sought a higher commission from the cab companies while traveling between Delhi and other locations in the National Capital Region such as Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurugram.
With reduced public transport facilities, strike to affect many
The strike call is expected to affect countless commuters in various sections of Delhi-NCR, especially at a time when public transport like metro rail services are yet to restart operations and buses are running at reduced capacity due to social distancing norms. Notably, metro rail services will start operating in a graded manner from September 7, as per government's guidelines on Unlock 4.0 plan.
