Mumbai: Ola cab driver’s suicide linked to financial strain, protest escalates

Cab drivers register their protest in Nalasopara on Thursday. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A day after a 46-year-old Ola driver reportedly died by suicide on Wednesday, drivers associated with aggregator companies intensified their ongoing protest at Nalasopara. The protesters alleged that the cab aggregator companies were bringing arbitrary polices, leading to huge financial losses, pushing drivers into poverty. "The driver was unable to pay his cab instalments and was driven to the wall. leading to the extreme step. We have decided to intensify the stir," a cab driver said.

"We are going on an indefinite hunger strike to draw the attention of the government to our demands and demand that the family members of the deceased be given adequate compensation. We are meeting at Azad Maidan on Friday to intensify the protest," said Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha President Keshav Nana Kshirsagar, who is spearheading the agitation.

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The five key demands deal with the rationalisation of fares, having fares at par with metered cabs, banning bike taxis, capping cab and auto permits, making the welfare board of cab and taxi drivers functional and bringing in the Maharashtra Gig Workers' Act.