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Telangana Gig Workers Stage Statewide Flash Strike

Unions seek minimum fares, notified gig-worker rules and a welfare board with an August 8 deadline for an indefinite strike

Overview

  • Statewide action on July 22 drew thousands of app-based cab, auto, delivery and goods-transport drivers and sharply reduced vehicle availability across Telangana, with multiple reports of fares rising about 30–50 percent.
  • Union leaders demanded a guaranteed minimum base fare plus fair per-kilometre and per-minute rates and called for immediate notification of the Gig and Platform Workers Rules and constitution of a Welfare Board.
  • Drivers also pressed the state to enforce Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines so only commercially registered vehicles can serve on platforms and to curb unilateral fare-setting by aggregators.
  • A brief protest at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport led police to summon representatives of Ola, Uber and Rapido to the local station while officials said airport services were not disrupted.
  • Several trade unions backed the strike and organisers set August 8 as a deadline to begin an indefinite stoppage if the Telangana government and platform companies do not meet the demands, raising the risk of wider disruption to commuters and delivery services.