Cab Unions Threaten to Cut Food Supply Chain in Delhi After Calling Off Strike

The taxi and auto unions in India’s capital city Delhi had called a two-day strike on Monday. They were demanding a fare revision and subsidy for compressed natural gas prices. The commuters had to struggle to reach to their respective destination due to the unavailability of conveyance as almost 90 percent of auto drivers stayed off the roads.

The unions of autorickshaws and taxis in India’s capital city Delhi on Tuesday called of their strike against the fuel price hike. However, they have warned the federal government that if their demands are not met within next 25 days, they will cut the food supply chain of the city.

While talking to the reporters, Rajdhani Parivahan Panchayat president Indrajeet Singh said: "We held the one-day symbolic protest to warn the federal government against the hike in fuel price. If no action is taken in the next 25 days, then we will shut the total food chain of Delhi including tempos, and trucks. Whatever milk, vegetables or any essential items come in Delhi will not come and the federal government will be responsible for it."

Talking about the other issues, Singh said: “We have an issue with the cab aggregators like Ola and Uber. There are no restrictions on them in Delhi and adjoining areas. This is the reason a lot people who used to work in good sectors or are better qualified, quit their jobs and joined Ola or Uber because they promised them to pay INR 100,000 ($1,307) per month.”

"They fulfilled their promise for the first six months but later they stopped. Our request from the federal government is to subsidise the fuel prices. We want registration cards from the government to avail fuel subsidised prices,” he added.

He informed the media that the unions have had multiple meetings with federal minister Nitin Gadkari, who has received their letter but did nothing.

"We have spoken to three parliamentarians and they said they can't help us. We tweeted Hardeep Singh Puri and tried calling him, but received no response," the union president stated.

The auto, taxi and cab drivers’ associations went on a two-day strike on Monday against the hike in the prices of compressed natural gas (CNG), which is an eco-friendly alternative to gasoline.

Earlier on 11 April, hundreds of auto, taxi, bus, and cab drivers staged a protest at the Delhi Secretariat, demanding a subsidy for CNG prices.

The price of CNG in Delhi have been hiked by as much as 60 percent in the past year, and with the latest rise of INR 2.5 ($0.03) per kg on 14 April, the price now stands at INR 71.61 ($0.94) per kg.