Bhopal Taxi Drivers Announce Statewide Protest, CM House Gherao From August 18 To 20 Over Fare Policies

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Taxi drivers in Madhya Pradesh have announced a statewide agitation against the alleged arbitrary fare policies of aggregator companies.

The Bhopal Taxi Drivers’ Union, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, and Taxi Union Kalyan Samiti Sarv Bharat have decided to organise a rally on Aug 15, followed by a state-level protest between Aug 18 and 20.

The unions are also planning to gherao the Chief Minister’s residence over their demands.

The decision was taken during a meeting of taxi drivers and union representatives at Chinar Park in Bhopal on Saturday. The final date for the indefinite protest has not been announced yet.

Taxi Union Kalyan Samiti Sarv Bharat’s Bhopal in-charge Javed Khan said a rally would be taken out from Boat Club to Lalghati on Aug 15.

He said the protest would remain peaceful and constitutional and would highlight the concerns of taxi drivers before the state government.

The unions have alleged that Madhya Pradesh does not have a clear policy for fixing taxi fares, allowing companies such as Ola, Uber and Rapido to allegedly determine fares arbitrarily.

They have demanded a permanent government-approved fare structure, including a base fare of ₹50-60 per ride, a time charge of ₹1-1.50 per minute and a distance charge of ₹22-30 per kilometre depending on the vehicle category.

Bhopal Taxi Drivers’ Union general secretary Rajesh Kumar Nagle said drivers from across the state would be invited for the larger protest.

He added that the government should first decide taxi fares and then direct aggregator companies to follow the approved rates.

The union has also raised concerns over the alleged operation of private vehicles and illegal bike taxis for commercial purposes, claiming it affects the earnings of registered taxi operators.

Earlier, taxi drivers had boycotted airport rides on June 23, 24 and 25 to press for their demands. The union claimed that companies had temporarily revised fares after the protest but later returned to previous rates.

The drivers said their demand was not limited to a percentage-based fare hike but a complete overhaul of the fare system, including base fare, time charges and per-kilometre payments.