Rs 2,000 for a 10-Km Ride: Pune Commuters Reel Under Cab, Autorickshaw Strike
Pune, 19th July 2025: A citywide strike by cab and auto-rickshaw drivers associated with ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Ola, and Rapido caused widespread disruption across Pune on Friday, leaving commuters stranded and facing steep fare hikes.
The strike, led by members of the Indian Gig Workers Front, saw app-based transport services either unavailable or quoting exorbitant prices. For example, a trip from NIBM Road to Pune Airport—a distance of about 15 km—reflected an inflated fare of ₹430 for an auto-rickshaw ride, compared to the usual ₹240. UberGo fares were listed at ₹739, Uber XL at ₹1,461, and Uber Premier at ₹1,096.
Elsewhere, short trips saw similar inflation. A routine commute from Karve Road to FC Road, which typically costs ₹40–₹50 on apps or ₹30 by meter, was priced at ₹70–₹80 during the strike.
Passengers arriving at Pune Airport bore the brunt of the disruption.
“I had booked a cab in advance to go to Kothrud,” said a passenger. “But once I reached AeroMall, I was informed that the drivers were on strike. I wasted about 30 minutes canceling my booking and eventually had to opt for a prepaid autorickshaw.”
Another traveler who had flown in from Delhi, said he couldn’t find a single cab for over half an hour. “Eventually, I had to pay ₹500 to an auto driver for a short ride to Kalyaninagar. He said the strike had forced fares up. I had no choice,” he added.
Pune residents took to social media to share their frustration. “There are no cabs available. The apps are showing triple the normal fare. Striking drivers are reportedly stopping rides and assaulting those who aren’t participating,” wrote user Ankit Rai on X (formerly Twitter).
Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, acknowledged reports of violent incidents. “We are urging our members to protest peacefully and not resort to violence. On Friday, we met with transport officials who have promised to convene a meeting with all stakeholders by Tuesday. Until then, the strike will continue,” he said.
The protest follows the union’s earlier demand for implementation of government-approved fare structures from May 1. While app platforms argue they’ve shifted to a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model—where bookings are made via apps but fares are settled between drivers and passengers—the union says this has led to arbitrary pricing.
To address the confusion, the Gig Workers Front also launched a website, onlymeter.in, where commuters can calculate fares as per official government rates.
Meanwhile, regional transport authorities have maintained that the upcoming state aggregator policy will mandate platforms to obtain licenses and comply with regulated fare structures. “Once the policy is enforced, these issues should get resolved,” Pune Deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosale had previously stated.
