Following a recent call for a nationwide “crash” against what they described as deepening exploitation, app transport workers on Saturday attempted to halt services in several states, including Telangana, even as they demanded fair fares and called for regulation of aggregator platforms.
The impact in Hyderabad appeared to be partial.
The Telangana Concert and Platform Workers Union and the app-based Transport Workers Federation of India, the president said the Motor Vehicle Aggregators Guidelines 2025 mandate governments to announce minimum or base tariffs in consultation with recognized unions. He argued that there was a delay in government action and that it allowed app-based companies to set tariffs arbitrarily. This has led to the burden of operational risks and costs on workers.
He said the breakdown was intended as a warning that drivers would no longer absorb the losses resulting from policy paralysis and weak enforcement of existing laws.
Key demands raised by the unions included the immediate notification of minimum base fares for app-based transport services after consultation with employee representatives. They also sought a strict ban on the use of private non-commercial vehicles for commercial passenger and freight transport or their mandatory conversion to commercial category vehicles in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act and aggregator guidelines.
Unions have urged the government at the center as well as the states to initiate a dialogue with employee representatives and put in place a framework that is fair, legal and sustainable. They also warned that continued delays in taking action would lead to intensified nationwide protests in the coming days.
Published – 07 Feb 2026 19:37 IST
