Ola, Uber, Rapido Asked to Justify Fare System as Drivers Protest Over High Rates, Strike Paused
Ola, Uber, Rapido Asked to Justify Fare System as Drivers Protest Over High Rates, Strike Paused ( Representation Image )
Pune, July 24, 2025: The Maharashtra transport commissioner’s office has asked leading app-based ride-hailing platforms—Ola, Uber, and Rapido—to submit written clarification on how they calculate fares for their services, amid growing unrest among gig workers. The directive comes as the Indian Gig Workers’ Front announced a temporary pause on its planned statewide strike, which was scheduled to resume on Wednesday.
Additional Transport Commissioner Bharat Kalaskar confirmed that two rounds of meetings were held on Tuesday with company representatives and union leaders. “We have requested Ola, Uber, and Rapido to furnish a written explanation detailing their fare calculation mechanism for cab and autorickshaw rides across different cities, and how those rates vary from RTO-approved fares,” Kalaskar stated.
One of the primary triggers behind the protests has been the continued gap between aggregator fares and government-approved rates. Kalaskar also said that if any drivers’ accounts had been deactivated for adhering to RTO-sanctioned fares, those IDs should be promptly reactivated.
In Pune, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has set the fare at ₹75 for the first 3 kilometers and ₹25 for each additional kilometer. If implemented, this would peg a 10-kilometer journey at approximately ₹249.50. In contrast, app-based fares currently offer the same ride at around ₹175, excluding surge pricing.
Many daily commuters have criticized the Pune RTO for allowing the situation to spiral. Kalpana Seth, a Kondhwa-based bank employee, remarked, “This should have been dealt with months ago. The RTO kept silent, and now we, the commuters, are paying the price.”
The Maharashtra Kamgar Sena’s president, Keshav Kshirsagar, added that the state transport department has assured union leaders that all three aggregators will provide a written confirmation on Wednesday, agreeing to reflect RTA-based fares on their platforms. The companies will also disclose the effective date for the revised fares.
Meanwhile, Prashant Sawardekar, president of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transporters, revealed that transport authorities had informed them about an upcoming policy that would regulate fares for app-based rides. However, he raised concerns that the proposed state policy conflicts with the Centre’s existing aggregator guidelines, which permit surge pricing up to 50% above the base fare, capped at ₹48 per kilometer.
Incidents of overcharging continue to frustrate commuters. A user named Sushmita Ghosh posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting how app-based drivers are canceling rides after pickup, demanding ₹300–₹400 more than the app fare. “The new airport is already inconvenient, and now drivers are taking advantage of passengers,” she wrote.
Another commuter, Aneesha Acharya, shared her ordeal: “I booked an Uber from Camp to a hospital in Pimpri. The fare on the app was ₹295, but the driver demanded ₹700 for the 20-km ride. When I contacted support, I was told I must pay by meter as rates haven’t been finalized yet.”
As tensions between aggregator firms, the government, and gig workers escalate, commuters are caught in the crossfire, awaiting a resolution that brings fare transparency, accountability, and fairness for both drivers and passengers.
