An indefinite strike has been called by 16 vehicle unions across Telangana starting tomorrow, which will bring all autos, cabs, lorries, and food delivery services to a complete halt. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of vehicle and delivery unions announced the decision after repeated attempts to address their grievances with the state government yielded no response. The strike will affect popular services including Ola, Rapido, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, and Instamart, causing major disruptions to daily commuters and food delivery customers.
The JAC has expressed frustration over the government’s inaction despite multiple representations submitted regarding their demands. Union leaders stated that they are forced to take this extreme step to wake the Revanth government from what they called its “deep slumber” on issues affecting thousands of drivers and delivery workers across the state. The unions represent a significant workforce that operates app-based transport and delivery services throughout Telangana.
The primary demand of the striking unions is the immediate notification of minimum base fares along with fair charges per kilometer and per minute for app-based transport services. They insist that both the government and platform companies should jointly establish these rates to ensure stable income for app-based drivers, delivery workers, and all gig and platform workers. The unions argue that current earnings are insufficient and unpredictable, making it difficult for workers to sustain their livelihoods.
The unions are demanding immediate implementation of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Rules and the establishment of a Welfare Board without further delay. They also want the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines-2025 to be fully implemented with minimum charges decided by the government to be officially notified. These regulatory frameworks are seen as essential to protect the rights and welfare of workers in the rapidly growing gig economy sector.
A crucial demand raised by the vehicle unions concerns the use of private vehicles for commercial purposes. In accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act-1988 and the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines-2025, the unions want a strict prohibition on using private (non-commercial) two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers for app-based passenger or goods transport services without converting them to commercial registration. This issue has been a long-standing concern among registered commercial vehicle operators who claim unfair competition from unregistered private vehicles.
The strike is expected to severely impact daily transportation and food delivery services across the state. Thousands of commuters who rely on app-based cab services for their daily travel and customers dependent on food and grocery delivery platforms will face significant inconvenience. The JAC has made it clear that the strike will continue indefinitely until the government addresses their demands and takes concrete action to implement the necessary regulations and welfare measures for gig and platform workers.
