App-based transport workers, including drivers and deliverymen associated with major platforms such as Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter and other app-based transport services, announced an all-India strike on Saturday (February 7, 2026) to protest against declining earnings and increasing exploitation in the platform transport industry. Transport workers have also raised a demand for immediate redressal regarding the installation of an emergency button in the apps. The strike is likely to affect thousands of commuters in Tier-1, Tier-2 and metro cities across the country.
Who is leading the strike?
The protest call was issued by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), comprising thousands of drivers employed in taxi services and express delivery platforms.
Speaking to PTI, Keshav Kshirsagar, head of the Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha, said that the strike began across Maharashtra and other parts of the country in the morning. Most of the autorickshaw and taxi drivers supported the strike, Mr. Kshirsagar said.
The Karnataka App-Based Workers Union (KAWU), which also announced its participation in the all-India strike, has written to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy to immediately announce minimum base fares for app-based transport services and ban the use of non-commercial vehicles for commercial transport. “Without a regulated base fare for transport services, aggregator companies can set fares unilaterally and riders and drivers are left in precarious, unstable and exploitative working conditions. This includes but is not limited to workers on platforms like Ola, Uber, Porter and Rapido,” the union’s letter said.
What are the requirements?
TGPWU president and IFAT co-founder national general secretary Shaik Salauddin said the protest is aimed at demanding minimum base fares announced by the central and state governments for Ola, Uber, Rapido and other aggregators such as autos, taxis and cycle taxis set by the drivers’ unions. This pushes millions of app-based drivers into poverty, while aggregators continue to extract profit.
In a letter to the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, IFAT and TGPWU highlighted the demand for minimum base fares announced by the government for app-based transport services. “In the absence of government-regulated tariff structures, aggregator companies continue to set tariffs unilaterally, leading to severe income insecurity, exploitation and substandard working conditions for millions of transport workers. The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025 clearly mandate regulatory oversight, fare transparency and protection of drivers’ livelihoods,” which must be effectively implemented through unenforceable notifications at the central and state levels.
Honestly @nitin_gadkari her, @MORTHIndia@Ponnam_INC Drivers and riders using apps across India are demanding minimum base fares announced by the government #Ola, #Uber, #Quick#Porter other aggregators as directed under the Motor Vehicle Aggregators Guidelines, 2025. pic.twitter.com/epMHtJKOXS
— Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (@TGPWU) February 1, 2026
Mr Salauddin said despite the implementation of the 2025 Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, platforms continue to arbitrarily set prices. “Therefore, we are making two demands on the state and central governments. This includes notification of minimum base fares and ending private vehicles for commercial drives,” he added.
“We have a list of demands that we want to present to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. There should be a Rashtriya Chalak Ayog for the welfare of drivers, private cycle taxis should be banned across the country immediately and surge pricing on app-based platforms should be addressed as the drivers are not benefiting from it but people think the drivers are making money,” said president of Auto Delhi All Taxi Union Congress of Kishan.
Transport workers using apps across India will observe the All India breakdown on 07-Feb-26.
No minimum tariffs. No regulation. Endless exploitation.
The government must act NOW.
Millions of app-based drivers are reduced to poverty while aggregators profit.
Government silence = platform impunity pic.twitter.com/zT3e6eZWjm
— Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (@TGPWU) February 4, 2026
Strike’s impact
Although the unions claimed that drivers were keeping their vehicles off the roads, taxis and auto-rickshaws were available for booking in Maharashtra on the platforms of major companies including Uber, Ola and Rapido since the wee hours of the day.
The Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha had earlier said the strike was aimed at opposing “arbitrary” fare policies of ride aggregators and seeking strict enforcement of “illegal” cycle taxi operations that affect the livelihood of licensed taxi and autorickshaw drivers.
Similarly, in Delhi, a delegation of transport and delivery workers met Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to discuss the need for legislation from the Center and implementation of regulations in Congress-ruled states.
“While there are 140 panic button device providers approved by the central government, the state government has declared nearly 70% of these companies unauthorized. As a result, taxi drivers are forced to remove the previously installed devices and needlessly spend around ₹ 12,000 on installing new devices, causing serious financial hardship,” the statement said.
The drivers’ body also expressed concern over the loss of income due to the increase in the number of autorickshaws under the open permit policy and also claimed that victims of accidents involving illegal bikers are being denied insurance coverage.
Published – 07 Feb 2026 14:29 IST
