Drivers of taxi aggregators Ola and Uber have warned that they would go off-road indefinitely from March 19 (Monday) to protest against alleged discriminatory practices. (PTI/Reuters)

Drivers of taxi aggregators Ola and Uber have warned that they would go off-road indefinitely from March 19 (Monday) to protest against alleged discriminatory practices. The cab drivers have threatened that services will be withdrawn from major cities like New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune. Hyderabad cab drivers have also lent their support to the indefinite strike call that will affect millions of riders and commuters who depend on these taxi app services.

Here are the top 10 things you should know about the planned strike:

1. There is a possibility that Ola and Uber users will have a hard time getting a cab during office or rush hours. Major cities like Pune, Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad are going to be hit with millions of passengers stranded on road.

2. Sanjay Naik, President of Maharashtra Nav Nirman Vahatuk Sena (MNVS) has called for the indefinite strike and said that over 60,000 cabbies have extended their support to the cause.

3. Naik said that they have demanded Rs 1.25 lakh of assured business to be given to the cab drivers of both companies.

4. Naik also said the taxi companies used to deliver Rs 1.25 lakh of business per month which has lately reduced to Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.

5. The demands’ list also includes reinstating ‘wrongly blacklisted’ drivers, ola and uber must stop plying their own cars and must reduce the commision they take from drivers.

6. The indefinite strike will be an ‘offline’ protest which means that the Ola and Uber drivers will not log in nor accept bookings.

7. The drivers and MNVS have expressed their anguish over Maharashtra government’s decision to implement new Maharashtra City taxi rules 2017 will leave a majority of cab owners stranded. The rules suggest shifting from diesel vehicles to CNG.

8. Around 45,000 Ola and Uber cabs ply in Mumbai. There has been a drop of 20 per cent in the number. Moreover, it is said that the cab aggregators are not raising the compensation as there has been a slump in business lately.

9. Naik further said that the government was not taking actions against the cab aggregators instead were supporting their business.

10. Naik said cabbies were miffed that the companies were giving more privilege to the company-owned cars rather than driver-owned cars, causing a dent in their business.