New Delhi, Today, the auto-rickshaw and taxi unions in Delhi went on an indefinite strike against app-based taxi services, causing hardship to thousands of commuters.
There are about 85,000 auto-rickshaw and 15,000 yellow-black taxis in the Capital and if they go off roads people may face problems during their commute.
Twenty unions of autos and taxis have formed a Joint Action Committee, which has called for the indefinite strike.
Kishan Verma, president of All Delhi Auto-Taxi Transport Congress Union (ADATTCU), said the drivers of auto and taxi drivers are protesting against app-based services.
"Uber and Ola don't have permit to run their taxis in Delhi, but despite that the government is allowing them to take away our livelihood," Verma said.
It's perhaps the first time city's rival taxi unions, affiliated to major political parties including BJP and Congress, have come together and given a call for a strike.
"The government has assured us on several occasions it will take action against these services but it has not fulfilled its commitment so far," said Rajendra Soni, whose unions are backed by the RSS.
The Delhi government termed the strike politically- motivated and said banning the app-based cab services does not come under its ambit and instead Centre should do something in this regard.
According to the Spokesman of Delhi government, "The operations of Ola and Uber are illegal in Delhi as they don't have permit from the Delhi transport department to ply their taxis. We have already written to the Centre to block server of Uber, but the Union government said it cannot do so as its main server is in USA".
Meanwhile, a section of autorickshaw union, apparently affiliated to the Aam Aadmi Party, today met Transport Minister Satyendar Jain at Delhi Secretariat to discuss the issue.
auto-rickshaw and taxi unions of city to go on strike Unions protest Uber, Ola operations in Delhi