Nagpur, 01 Mar (HS):-

A delegation of Vidarbha App-Based Taxi Union met Nagpur District Collector Dr

Vipin Itankar and the Regional Transport Officer to discuss their grievances

of taxi drivers. The union submitted a memorandum listing their demands and

warned that cab drivers may stop providing air-conditioned (AC) services if

their concerns remain unresolved.

Union president Dipak

Sane highlighted the financial struggles of cab drivers, attributing them to

rising fuel and maintenance costs. “Earlier, when diesel was priced at ₹65-70

per liter, drivers could earn a reasonable fare and maintain their vehicles.

Now, with diesel prices and maintenance costs increasing, the companies are

facing problems in offering drivers enough returns,” Sane said.

With summer

approaching the passengers would expect AC services. However, under the current

fare structure, providing AC is not financially viable, leading to frequent

disputes between drivers and passengers. “If our demands are not met, the

administration and aggregator companies will be held accountable for the

consequences,” he warned.

The union has

put forth several demands, including insurance coverage for cab drivers,

implementation of government-fixed fares, and shifting the burden of aggregator

commissions onto passengers instead of deducting them from drivers’ earnings.

Drivers also

raised concerns over fare disparities, stating that they earn Rs 7 less per

kilometer compared to auto drivers. “Auto fares range between Rs 16-17 per km, with

aggregator commissions capped at Rs 25-30. Meanwhile, cab drivers earn only Rs 9-11

per km, and Uber assigns pickup distances of up to 9 km, resulting in financial

losses,” they said.

The union has

urged authorities to intervene and ensure fair compensation for cab drivers,

warning that continued negligence could lead to service disruptions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar