Telangana Auto Unions call statewide strike; seek hike in meter charges, demand ban on Ola, Uber, Rapido

The Telangana State Auto Union called for a statewide strike on Thursday, demanding that the Central and state government address their concerns. The auto drivers have stopped running autos on the main road in Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad, as part of the protest. The auto drivers are demanding an increase in meter charges, separate boards for auto drivers, removal of services like Uber, Rapido, etc., operating illegally in the state, and removal of the 2019 Motor Vehicles Act introduced by the Union Government.

An auto driver from Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad, told ANI, "We're on strike today, demanding the government address our issues with Ola, Uber, and Rapido. These services are causing problems for us, city drivers, while district autos operate freely. We request that the government ban these services in the city. The strike is from 6 am to 6 pm, with autos stopping across the city. We'll hold a rally at 10 am from Sudha Riah Park to NTR Stadium to voice our concerns." On the other hand, the app-based transport workers affiliated with the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have announced an All-India Breakdown on February 7, 2026, protesting falling incomes and increasing exploitation in the platform transport sector.

The nationwide protest will involve drivers and delivery workers associated with major platforms, including Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter, and other app-based transport services. According to the unions, the agitation is being organised against the continued failure of the Central and State Governments to notify minimum base fares under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.

Despite the existence of these guidelines, aggregator companies continue to unilaterally fix fares, pushing workers into unsustainable working conditions and forcing longer working hours for declining earnings. Shaik Salauddin, Founder President of TGPWU and Co-Founder and National General Secretary of IFAT, said that the absence of government-notified base fares has allowed platform companies to arbitrarily lower prices while transferring all operational risks to workers.

"The Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, clearly mandate consultation with recognised worker unions before fare fixation. However, governments have failed to act, enabling platforms to deepen exploitation," Salauddin said. (ANI)