The Mumbai metropolitan region faced major disruptions on Wednesday as thousands of app-based cab drivers for platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido launched an indefinite strike. The protest, led by the Maharashtra Gig Works Manch, saw nearly 90% of app-based cabs off the roads, according to president Kiran Kshirsagar.

The drivers are demanding fare rationalization to match traditional Black & Yellow taxis, which charge Rs 32 per km for AC cabs, compared to the Rs 8 per km offered by aggregators after hefty commissions. Other demands include banning bike taxis, capping permits for Black & Yellow cabs and auto rickshaws, establishing a welfare board for gig drivers, and enacting a Maharashtra Gig Workers’ Act. After a meeting with Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik yielded no firm commitments, the drivers escalated their agitation.

Commuters struggled to book cabs, forcing many to rely on BEST buses, auto rickshaws, or walk to nearby railway and metro stations. The strike highlights the growing tensions between gig workers and app-based platforms, with no resolution in sight.

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