Online taxi fares surge as drivers continue ‘offline strike’ in Kerala
Online taxi drivers in Kerala are conducting an 'offline strike' to demand better fare revisions and improved welfare conditions. The strike has caused significant fare surges on ride-hailing platforms, impacting daily commuters and IT workers.
Why it matters
It illustrates the ongoing friction between gig economy workers and platform aggregators regarding labor rights and fair compensation.
The ‘offline strike’ by drivers attached to online taxi aggregators has led to a surge in travel fares across platforms in the State, even as a large number of vehicles stayed off the road.
The indefinite agitation called by the All Kerala Online Drivers Union Alliance (AKODUA) entered the second day on Wednesday.
Regular riders were forced to take alternative measures owing to the unusual rise in fares and delay in finding cabs. “I usually take a car from Thripunithura to Infopark, where I work, at around ₹250. Today, the fare was shown as over ₹450. Then I chose to book an auto ride which also cost around ₹250, while the usual fare was around ₹120,” said Diana Francis, an IT employee, on Wednesday. She added that she chose a bus and then an auto for the return journey as the prices on taxi apps remained higher.
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