App-based cab and bike drivers’ strike turns violent in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar
A strike by app-based cab and bike drivers in Bhubaneswar turned violent as protesters clashed with police and vandalized public buses. The drivers are demanding better fares and social security, while local authorities have declared the protest illegal due to traffic disruption.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the growing labor unrest in the gig economy and the challenges of regulating app-based transport services.
The ongoing strike by app-based cab drivers and bike riders in Bhubaneswar turned violent on Wednesday as they allegedly threw stones at police personnel and vandalised government-run Ama buses at PMG Square, police said.
Drivers and riders registered with various online ride-hailing platforms began a cease-work protest on August 17, pressing for the fulfilment of their seven-point charter of demands, including a fare hike, reduction in application fees, social security and other benefits.
VIDEO | Bhubaneswar: Online cab and bike-taxi drivers clash with police during a protest; cops resort to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters, visuals. pic.twitter.com/iHrhPomKAq
Hundreds of taxis and bikes took out a rally from Raj Mahal Square and parked their vehicles along Mahatma Gandhi Marg, blocking the road and disrupting traffic movement in the Master Canteen and railway station areas.
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