Nagpur Cab Drivers Stage Airport Strike Over Fares and Bike Taxi Regulations Cab drivers in Nagpur launched a coordinated strike on Tuesday, halting all airport-bound services at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. The protest, organized by the Taxi Chalak Malak Sanyukt Kruti Samiti, involved drivers blocking entry points to the airport premises and refusing to pick up or drop off passengers. The strike began at midnight, with drivers halting bookings for airport trips, forcing stranded passengers to either walk nearly a kilometre through the scorching heat or pay an additional Rs 50 for an e-rickshaw ride to the terminal. The drivers’ demands centered on two key issues: higher fares and the regulation or removal of bike taxis. According to Deepak Sane, the leader of the taxi association, drivers currently earn between Rs 9 and Rs 15 per kilometre, far below the Rs 28 per km they are demanding. Sane argued that the low fares, combined with the proliferation of bike taxis, have eroded their income. He claimed that around 15,000 bike rides occur daily, significantly impacting cab operators’ earnings. “Anyone with a bike can join these platforms, but there are no regulations for bike taxis,” Sane stated, emphasizing the lack of oversight compared to traditional cab services. The strike’s impact was immediate and disruptive. Passengers faced significant inconvenience, with some expressing frustration over the situation. Rajesh Jitkar, a passenger heading to Mumbai, described walking with minimal luggage as the only option. Others vented their anger on social media after being asked to disembark from their cabs.#nagpur #nagpur_municipal_corporation #dr_babasaheb_ambedkar_international_airport #deepak_sane #taxi_chalak_malak_sanyukt_kruti_samiti
App-Based Cabbies Threaten to Halt Airport Services Starting April 14 Travellers flying in and out of Nagpur’s airport are set to face significant disruptions as a union of app-based taxi drivers has announced plans to suspend services from April 14. The Taxi Vahan Chalak Malak Sanyukt Kruti Samiti, a collective representing app-based drivers, has also vowed to block entry of other taxi services into the airport premises, a move that could leave passengers stranded and escalate tensions on the ground. The protest, which will begin on April 14 and continue indefinitely, has raised alarms about potential chaos at the airport, with passengers possibly forced to walk with luggage after being denied access to vehicles. Union president Deepak Sane confirmed that approximately 150 app-based taxi drivers operate at the airport daily. He stated that the union’s decision to halt services is a direct response to long-standing grievances, including the lack of enforcement of rates set by the Rajasthan Transport Department (RTA), which were approved in August 2025. Sane emphasized that the drivers would not accept trips to and from the airport through app-based platforms, adding that office-bearers would be stationed on all four approach roads to the airport to ensure compliance. “No app-based driver will operate at the airport. We will also not accept trips to and from the airport through apps,” he said. The union’s actions are part of a broader agitation over unresolved demands, which include scrapping bike taxi services, enforcing RTA-notified fares, providing direct insurance benefits to drivers, and establishing accountable offices for aggregator companies in Nagpur.#nagpur_airport #taxi_vahan_chalak_malak_sanyukt_kruti_samiti #deepak_sane #rajasthan_transport_department #nitin_magar
