Ola, Uber, Meru cabs go on 48-hour strike

NPnews24 online : Kolkata – Citizens in Kolkata faced a tough time as more than 25,000 app-based cabs such as Ola, Meru, Uber, etc. went off the roads due to a 48-hour strike called by associations of online cabs.

Commuters faced harassment by yellow taxi cab drivers as they demanded hefty amounts for the commute from popular areas such as Howrah station, Esplanade and other places.

In the Esplanade area, am app-based cab was attacked by protesters for taking a passenger on board. The protesters asked the commuter to get off the car and even vandalized the car. Three people have been arrested for damaging the car, a Kolkata police officer said.

The 48-hour strike was called by the West Bengal Online Cab Operators’ Guild (WBOCOG) and an organisation of luxury taxis providing services to the government offices protesting exploitation by the cab aggregators.

Over 90 percent of app-based cabs are off the roads in Kolkata and strike will continue on July 2. Kolkata’s Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday had said that the government will make arrangements of additional buses to ensure the commuters did not face any problem.