What if Ola, Uber and Rapido services are stopped in Odisha?

Amidst the rising rage among auto-rickshaw drivers and protests against ride-hailing services like Ola, Uber and Rapido, grave concerns are being raised by people who depend on these services for daily commute. Repeated strikes and road blockade cause significant disruptions to the daily commute of common people who depend on these services.

The strikes, mostly spearheaded by auto drivers, have time and again wreaked havoc on the public transport network with questions being raised why no one is addressing the issues of these auto drivers who are so much concerned about these app-based ride services.

On most days, commuters have to struggle to secure rides, resulting in long waits and sharp increase in unwanted fares. The latest strike in Odisha is part of an ongoing conflict between auto-rickshaws and third-party app-based services such as Ola, Uber and Rapido.

Also Read: Odisha Auto-rickshaw drivers up in arms against ride-sharing aggregators

“Ola, Uber and Rapido have been violating prescribed guidelines of the Odisha government. They are using private vehicles for passenger transport while auto-rickshaw drivers have registered specifically for passenger transport and obtained road permits, fitness certificates and paying insurance premiums,” alleged the auto-rickshaw drivers’ outfit.

On the other hand, passengers, mostly office-goers, IT employees and kin of patients who depend on Ola, Uber and Rapido, fear monopoly by auto-rickshaw drivers if the app-based services are stopped in Odisha.

“Often auto-drivers are ill-behaved. There are more chances of monopoly and auto-drivers demanding more money from passengers if there are no alternative services. Moreover, app-based services are convenient and drop and pick at our door-steps which are very convenient. Auto-drivers on the other hand, drop on the main road and demand extra charges if we ask them to drop at our door steps,” said a Bhubaneswar-based IT employee.

Similarly, a kin of a patient stated, “We booked a cab online and could admit my relative right on time. If we had called for an auto-rickshaw, they would have bargained with us for money. Moreover, we can see the fare online and book accordingly, but in the case of autos, they randomly just quote an amount and break out in fights if passengers ask them to reduce the amount.”

Amid these issues, Bhubaneswar residents believe that the Odisha government should intervene and reach out to a solution that would be beneficial for both the auto-drivers and the app-based services that has given livelihood to so many young jobless youths.