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Airport chaos, long waits: Ola-Uber strike cripples Mumbai travel
The ongoing strike by drivers working with platforms like Ola and Uber has brought a deeper issue into focus, the mounting frustration of gig workers navigating a system they say is rigged against them.
According to Kiran Kshirsagar, president of the Maharashtra Gig Works Manch, 90% of app-based cabs stayed off the roads on Wednesday, reflecting the scale of worker participation.
As app-based cab services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region remained crippled for the third consecutive day on Thursday, the ongoing strike by drivers working with platforms like Ola and Uber has brought a deeper issue into focus, the mounting frustration of gig workers navigating a system they say is rigged against them.
While the immediate impact is visible in long wait times, surge pricing and overcrowded public transport, the agitation underscores a broader conflict between gig workers and platform-based employers.
As per a report by PTI, Kiran Kshirsagar, president of the Maharashtra Gig Works Manch said that 90% of app-based cabs stayed off the roads on Wednesday, reflecting the scale of worker participation. “The companies are taking heavy commissions while drivers earn as little as Rs 8 per kilometre,” he said. The union, which met with Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik earlier this week, continued the strike after failing to receive any concrete commitments.
Commuter Impact: Public Transport Strained
The strike severely disrupted passenger movement to and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. With online cab bookings either failing or showing excessive wait times, many passengers turned to BEST buses, autorickshaws, or nearby metro and railway stations to complete their journeys. The airport authority even issued an advisory on X, urging travellers to plan alternative transport.
In light of ongoing protests in the state, passengers travelling via #MumbaiAirport are advised to check transport availability and plan alternate arrangements in advance.#CSMIA #PassengerAdvisory #Travel #Aviation pic.twitter.com/UnWScJue6U
— Mumbai Airport (@CSMIA_Official) July 16, 2025
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