App-based transport workers linked to platforms such as Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter and others are observing a nationwide “breakdown” on Saturday, February 7, protesting falling incomes and what unions describe as worsening exploitation in the sector.
The all-India action has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT). The unions said drivers are participating by cancelling ride requests or switching off their ride-hailing apps, a move that could affect services across several cities.
Is Ola and Uber strike today?
Yes. Unions said drivers associated with Ola, Uber, Rapido, and other platforms are switching off apps or cancelling trips as part of a nationwide ‘breakdown’ on Saturday.
The protest, they said, has been triggered by the failure of the Central and state governments to notify minimum base fares under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, allowing aggregator companies to continue fixing fares unilaterally.
Why app-based drivers are protesting on February 7
Shaik Salahuddin, TGPWU founder President and IFAT co-founder and National General Secretary, said that despite the existence of the Aggregator Guidelines, aggregator companies continue to determine fares on their own, pushing workers into unsustainable working conditions.
He said the ‘breakdown’ is meant to highlight falling incomes and worsening exploitation faced by app-based transport workers due to delays in implementing fare protections mandated under the 2025 guidelines.
Key demands raised by Ola, Uber and Rapido drivers
Among the key demands is the immediate notification of minimum base fares for app-based transport services, to be finalised in consultation with recognised worker unions, as required under the Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.
The unions have also demanded a strict prohibition on the use of private (non-commercial) vehicles for commercial passenger and goods transport. Alternatively, they have called for mandatory conversion of such vehicles into the commercial category, in line with the Motor Vehicles Act and the Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.
Impact across cities and scale of participation
While the protest is nationwide, the unions said the extent of disruption may vary locally across major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune.
Salahuddin said Telangana alone has around 2.5 lakh autorickshaw drivers, 1.5 lakh cab drivers and about 50,000 Porter drivers operating on app-based platforms.
Earlier communication with governments
The TGPWU had earlier written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and other officials, informing them of the decision to observe an All-India ‘breakdown’.
In the letter, the union demanded immediate notification of minimum base fares by the Central and state governments for app-based transport services, including autos, cabs, bike taxis and other aggregator-based services, to be finalised in consultation with recognised driver and worker unions.
The unions have urged the Central and state governments to initiate immediate dialogue with worker representatives to ensure fair, lawful and sustainable regulation of the app-based transport sector.