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For the third day in a row, app-based cab services across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have remained largely unavailable, as drivers associated with ride-hailing platforms like Ola and Uber continue their strike demanding better pay and stronger protections. The strike has caused widespread commuter disruptions, particularly at key transit hubs like Mumbai Airport, and forced many passengers to turn to alternative modes of transport.

The protest, led by the Maharashtra Gig Works Manch, is not just about fare hikes — it’s about recognition, regulation and survival in a system gig workers say is heavily tilted against them.

<strong>What Are the Drivers Demanding?</strong>

While a key demand is fare parity with Mumbai’s traditional black-and-yellow taxis, which currently charge Rs 32 per kilometre for air-conditioned rides, the protest is also aimed at addressing deeper structural issues in the gig economy. 

The Maharashtra Gig Works Manch has outlined the following demands:

- Ban on bike taxis operating via aggregator apps, which drivers say are eroding their earnings.

- Permit caps for black-and-yellow taxis and auto-rickshaws to prevent market oversaturation.

- Formation of a welfare board for gig-based transport workers.

- Introduction of a ‘Maharashtra Gig Workers' Act’, on the lines of similar laws in other states, to provide social and financial protections.

So far, the Maharashtra government has not announced any formal response to the drivers’ demands. 

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/airport-chaos-long-waits-ola-uber-strike-cripples-mumbai-travel-75145.htm">Airport chaos, long waits: Ola-Uber strike cripples Mumbai travel</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/ola-uber-rapido-bike-taxi-services-halted-by-karnataka-high-court-61263.htm">Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxi services halted by Karnataka High Court</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/ola-rapido-under-ccpa-scrutiny-over-advance-tipping-practices-66994.htm">Ola, Rapido under CCPA scrutiny over advance tipping practices</a>

Ola and Uber drivers are on strike in Mumbai - Here's Why?

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.

<strong>Commuter Impact: Public Transport Strained</strong>

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.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In light of ongoing protests in the state, passengers travelling via <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiAirport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiAirport</a> are advised to check transport availability and plan alternate arrangements in advance.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSMIA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSMIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PassengerAdvisory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PassengerAdvisory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Travel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Travel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aviation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Aviation</a> <a href="https://t.co/UnWScJue6U">pic.twitter.com/UnWScJue6U</a></p>&mdash; Mumbai Airport (@CSMIA_Official) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSMIA_Official/status/1945427335265587585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/ola-uber-rapido-bike-taxi-services-halted-by-karnataka-high-court-61263.htm">Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxi services halted by Karnataka High Court</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/ola-rapido-under-ccpa-scrutiny-over-advance-tipping-practices-66994.htm">Ola, Rapido under CCPA scrutiny over advance tipping practices</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/rapido-slashes-food-delivery-charges-by-half-to-take-on-zomato-swiggy-69346.htm">Rapido slashes food delivery charges by half to take on Zomato, Swiggy</a>

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