Bhopal: Commuters suffered as drivers of app-based taxi service providers Ola on Monday kept their cabs off the roads for two hours protesting against the management. The drivers were protesting the management move to induct new fleet of taxis, sidelining the old and experienced drivers. They also demanded the management to give them better incentives.
People, using the app-based service daily, were in for a longer wait as no cabby responded to their calls during the two-hour strike. Ola Cab drivers association affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), demonstrated against attachment of new cabs in fleet and demanding better incentives.
Drivers of around 4000 Ola Cabs operating in state capital, assembled at Yadgar-e-Shahjahani Park and staged demonstration for around two hours. The protestors also handed over a memorandum to district administration seeking their intervention.
They alleged that Ola management was inducting new fleet of drivers with new taxis which would render the old taxi drivers unemployed. The drivers decried that they have taken loan for taxis and still depositing EMIs to finance companies and if their services were discontinued it would be difficult for them to survive.
BMS state general secretary KP Singh said, “OLA management wants to induct news taxis sidelining the old ones. The drivers protested the management decision as it would make them jobless.” The drivers have taken loans from finance companies so have to repay it, he added.
Accusing the company of harassing the drivers, Singh said that management wants to oblige their kith and kin as they. These existing drivers are experienced and well aware of the city and they have been offering good services for past many years, he added.
