Rickshaw Drivers Join Cab Drivers’ Strike in Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur; Commuters Face Harsh Disruptions
Pune, 17th July 2025: Rickshaw drivers across Pune extended their support to the ongoing strike called by cab drivers, bringing public transport in several parts of the city to a near standstill. The strike, which began on July 16 in Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur, is being observed in protest against unregulated operations of aggregator platforms such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido, and to demand reforms from the state government.
The protest entered its second day with autorickshaw unions also pulling out their vehicles from the roads starting Thursday, leaving thousands of commuters stranded during morning and evening peak hours.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Keshav Kshirsagar, President of the Rickshaw Drivers’ Association, said, “Rickshaw drivers have joined the strike in solidarity with cab drivers. Our demands are simple and long-standing—implement government-approved meter fares for aggregators, ban bike taxis in all forms, regulate permit issuance, and establish a welfare board for rickshaw and taxi drivers.”
Dr. Kshirsagar added that the decision to expand the strike came after no satisfactory response from the government despite repeated pleas. He also cited the tragic death of cab driver Manoj Saxena, who allegedly died by suicide due to financial stress exacerbated by aggregator policies.
On July 15, rickshaw and cab drivers from across Maharashtra had gathered at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to press their demands. The protestors had also met with the state transport minister to highlight the long-standing grievances against cab aggregators, accusing them of operating “illegally” for over a decade.
“The unchecked expansion of bike taxis, especially through electric mobility loopholes, is destroying our livelihoods,” Dr. Kshirsagar said. “Drivers are unable to afford vehicle EMIs, and many face the risk of financial ruin. The Transport Department must stop acting as a gateway for illegal operations under the garb of e-bike taxis.”
The protestors are demanding that fares set by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) be mandatorily implemented on aggregator platforms. “If a platform wants to offer lower fares, they should bear the cost—not the drivers. And if they want to charge higher, that should be their profit margin, not something taken from the drivers’ earnings,” he added.
Other key demands include:
Different fare slabs for SUVs and air-conditioned vehicles.
Immediate activation of blocked driver IDs on aggregator platforms.
Strict action against blocking driver accounts without due investigation.
Limit on new permits for autorickshaws and cabs in congested urban areas.
Despite multiple letters from the Transport Commissioner to the Union Ministry, the open permit policy remains in effect, creating an oversupply of vehicles, protestors claim.
Rickshaw and cab driver unions have warned that the strike will continue indefinitely until their demands are addressed. Another large protest rally is scheduled for July 18 at Azad Maidan.
