Uber, Ola Drivers in Delhi NCR Go on Strike From Friday; Demand Accident Insurance and More

If you have been struggling to find an Ola or Uber on Friday morning in Delhi and NCR, you aren't alone. Ola and Uber drivers have reportedly gone on strike from Friday.

The strike has been called by Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, which claims to have 2,000 drivers in its group, and they demand better perks and relaxed hours for targets, according to a report by Business Standard. The association said to be hoping 40,000 to 50,000 drivers join the agitation.

The strike called by the driver association has in Delhi and NCR from Friday also demand accident insurance after a recent road accident saw the death of a Uber driver partner. Notably, similar strikes have been called by other driver associations in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The report claims that the driver association is not ready to comply with the company's decision to run cabs at Rs. 6 per kilometre. The association also claims that Uber and Ola do not give a full weekly payment.

According to posters and flyers distributed by the driver association, Ola and Uber drivers have been called to gather at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi for a march till Jantar Mantar.

"Companies should not add more new cars, they should stop ride-share services, also most importantly, we will not work for Rs 6 per kilometre. From Friday, we will go on indefinite strike till they agree to our demands," Ravi Rathore, senior executive member at the association told Business Standard.

Gadgets 360 has written to Ola and Uber for comments on strike. An Uber spokesperson responded by saying, "A small group of people are disrupting the Uber service in parts of Delhi, and there have been isolated reports of threats and intimidation. We are working hard to ensure reliable rides are available for everyone and we can keep the city moving. We call on authorities to ensure the safety of riders and drivers." We will update the story when we hear from Ola.

Uber, ride hailing app, last month hiked fares for its UberGO service by up to 15 percent in Delhi-NCR. The company started increased ride time charge to Rs. 1.5 per minute from Re. 1 earlier. For those unaware, Uber charges Rs. 6 per km for up to 20 kilometers and Rs. 12 thereafter, with a minimum fare of Rs. 60 for UberGO.