Commercial vehicle drivers’ unions in the national capital have announced a three-day strike from May 21 to May 23, demanding an immediate revision of taxi and auto-rickshaw fares in response to rising fuel prices and increasing financial pressure on drivers. The planned protest is expected to impact transportation services across Delhi-NCR, with several taxi and auto unions calling on drivers to suspend operations during the strike period.

The protest call was issued by multiple transport organizations, including the All India Motor Transport Congress and the Chaalak Shakti Union, which have jointly written to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The unions said the continuous increase in prices of CNG, petrol, and diesel has made it difficult for middle-class drivers to sustain their livelihoods and support their families. They warned that the agitation could intensify further if their demands remain unresolved.

According to union representatives, fares for city taxis in Delhi-NCR have not been revised for nearly 15 years despite steep increases in fuel and maintenance costs during the same period. Anuj Kumar Rathore stated that the organizations are demanding an immediate fare hike notification from the Delhi government within the next one or two weeks. He added that if authorities continue delaying the decision, unions will launch a larger protest movement and hold the government responsible for the disruption.

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The unions also alleged that app-based cab aggregators have been functioning arbitrarily while traditional taxi drivers continue to face economic hardship. Driver associations claimed commercial vehicle operators are being pushed into “slavery-like conditions” due to low earnings, rising operational expenses, and aggressive pricing policies followed by ride-hailing platforms. They further demanded stronger government policies to prevent what they described as economic exploitation of taxi drivers in the capital region.

In their communication to the government, union leaders also referred to last year’s Delhi High Court proceedings related to fare revision demands. According to the unions, the court had directed authorities to address taxi drivers’ concerns and review fare structures. However, the organizations alleged that the issue has remained pending due to administrative delays and approval procedures involving the lieutenant governor's office. Similar demands for fare revision were also raised recently by the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Union and the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union.

As part of the agitation, the unions have also announced a protest outside the Delhi Secretariat on May 23. Commuters across Delhi-NCR may face disruptions in taxi and auto-rickshaw availability during the strike period if a resolution is not reached before May 21. The development comes at a time when rising fuel costs and inflation continue to affect transport operators across several Indian cities, prompting increasing demands for revised fare structures and regulatory intervention.

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