Uber, Ola cab drivers threaten hunger strike

​Hyderabad: A section of cab drivers attached to Uber and Ola have threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday demanding fulfilment of their pending demands, Telangana Cab Drivers and Owners Association (TCDOA) said Tuesday.

Many of the drivers attached to the taxi-hailing apps are on strike in the city for the past four days demanding the companies not to accept new registrations on their platforms as the existing cab owners are not able to make enough money, Association's president Shiva Vulkundakar said. "They are using unfair practices.

The State government should come to our rescue. They (Ola and Uber) make tall promises to drivers during enrolment time. "The companies had promised that every cab driver would earn handsome money.

But in reality the picture is different. We request the State government to allow us to use meters, so that we can run our vehicles as taxis," he said. "I will personally sit on indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday.

Some of the members who support us may also sit along with me on hunger strike," Vulkundakar said. Though the exact number of cabs attached to Uber and Ola is not officially known, the TCDOA claimed that over one lakh drivers belonging to both the taxi app companies are participating in the strike.

A senior official of Ola, while admitting there was some impact on the business, however, said, "business is as usual". Uber, in a statement said, "We condemn the forceful disruption to our services in Hyderabad by a small group of people who have threatened drivers and damaged vehicles, inconveniencing riders and preventing people from earning a livelihood."

"We remain committed to serving the city, and call upon authorities to ensure safety and continued operation of our services so that we can keep Hyderabad moving," it said. However, TCDOA refuted Uber's allegation and termed it baseless

Meanwhile, addressing the dharna camp, TPCC Vice-President Mallu Ravi said nearly one lakh cab drivers had been protesting for the last four days in support of their fully justified demands.

He said unemployed youth had purchased new cabs on loans and got them engaged with Uber and Ola while expecting to earn a decent living. However, he said, the Uber and Ola managements had been playing different tricks to keep the drivers hooked to their debts and feel insecure.