Protest at airport to end only after talks with cab aggregators, say cabbies

Nagpur: Cab drivers refused to stop the picketing at Nagpur airport and prevent drops and pick-ups despite a strict warning by the police to leave the premises. The drivers said the strike would only end if management representatives of cab aggregators — Ola, Uber and Rapido — come to the negotiation table.The app-based taxi drivers said even if talks fail, the aggregators should at least hear their side of the story. "We would end our strike after the talks," said leaders of the Taxi Chalak Malak Kruti Samiti, the union which is leading the agitation at the Nagpur airport.The union members continued to remain at the airport on Tuesday, the seventh day of strike. The passengers continued to face the heat of the agitation, having to walk for nearly a kilometre in the blazing sun as no pick-ups happened near the arrival gate. The number of cabs bringing passengers to the departure gate was also minimal. The parking area for app-based taxis remained empty throughout the day.The union leaders met the DCP Zone 1 Rishi Reddy on Tuesday. The officer again assured that a meeting with the management representatives of cab aggregators would be arranged through video conferencing in the presence of district collector Kumar Ashirwad. "A meeting is expected to be held in a day or two, the strike may end soon after the parleys with the aggregators," said Rishi Kuwar, one of the leaders of Taxi Chalak Malak Sanyukt Kruti Samiti.The drivers are demanding a hike in the fare chart by the aggregators and removal of bike riders from the apps. Offering cheaper rides, bikers are eating into the cabbies' business, says the union.Kuwar said that apart from the aggregators' representatives, the drivers would also like to have separate talks with the collector. They expect the collector to use his powers and ensure that the bike taxis are also covered under RTO rules like cabbies or get the apps offering two-wheeler rides removed from mobile play store.
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