Taxi drivers in Delhi-NCR to hold 3-day strike from May 21, demand fare hike amid rising costs

Commercial vehicle drivers' union Chaalak Shakti has announced support for a nationwide transport strike from May 21 to 23 and said drivers in Delhi-NCR will also stage a protest against the non-revision of city taxi fares for nearly 15 years.

In a letter addressed to Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, Transport Minister and the Delhi Police Commissioner, the union said taxi operators would join the strike called by the All India Motor Transport Congress and participate in a "chakka jam" during the three-day protest.

The union also said it would hold a demonstration and gherao of the Delhi Secretariat on May 23 if their demands were not met.

Chaalak Shakti alleged that despite repeated representations and a direction from the Delhi High Court to consider revising fares, the government had not taken a decision.

It said taxi fares in Delhi-NCR have remained unchanged for nearly 15 years even as the prices of CNG, petrol, diesel, vehicle parts, insurance, fitness certification and permits have risen sharply.

The announcement comes amid a fresh increase in fuel prices.

Petrol and diesel prices were raised by about 90 paise per litre on Tuesday, the second hike in less than a week after state-owned oil marketing companies resumed revisions after a gap of more than four years.

In Delhi, petrol price rose to ₹98.64 per litre from ₹97.77, while diesel increased to ₹91.58 from ₹90.67.

On Friday, the two fuels were hiked by ₹3 per litre each. CNG prices were also raised by ₹2 per kg on May 15 and by another ₹1 per kg on Sunday.

The union said rising fuel costs and inflation had pushed drivers into a severe financial crisis and many were struggling to support their families.

It also alleged that app-based aggregators such as Uber Technologies, Ola and Rapido were economically exploiting drivers.

The union sought an immediate increase in Delhi-NCR taxi fares, mandatory implementation of revised fares by app-based companies, and a policy to prevent economic exploitation of drivers.

The union warned that if fares were not revised promptly, it would be “compelled to intensify this protest into a larger mass movement within the next one or two months.”

Last week, the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union had also raised similar concerns in a letter to the chief minister, demanding a fare hike.