A boycott by app-based cab drivers has taken up to 25,000 cabs off the road at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad, with driver unions demanding implementation of government-notified fares and action on other long-pending issues.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Telangana App-Based Drivers Forum (TADF) began boycotting trips operated by Uber, Ola and Rapido from the airport effective September 10. The disruption was reported on Friday after repeated representations by the organisations to the government and the three aggregators.
The central dispute concerns fares for prepaid motor cab hiring services at RGIA. According to TGPWU Founder President Shaik Salauddin, Government Order G.O.Ms.No.46, dated December 9, 2022, prescribes a fare of Rs.21 per km for cab drivers. Drivers are currently receiving between Rs.12 and Rs.15 per km, he said.
The unions’ demand was reinforced by a communication from the Labour department following a joint meeting held on August 31 at the office of the Joint Commissioner of Labour, Ranga Reddy Zone, Hyderabad. The meeting was attended by representatives of TGPWU and TADF and management representatives of Uber, Ola and Rapido.
Through letter No. B2/4066374/2026, dated August 31, the Joint Commissioner of Labour, Ranga Reddy Zone, advised the three companies to implement the fares prescribed under G.O.Ms.No.46 for prepaid motor cab hiring services at RGIA. The unions have cited this communication as evidence that the notified airport fares should be applied.
Salauddin said drivers had waited through repeated representations and meetings but could not continue indefinitely without implementation. He described the demand as one for lawful fares and equal treatment for app-based drivers, who form a key part of airport transport services.
The unions have also raised concerns over the free drop-off period at the airport. Salauddin said an increase in the permitted time from eight minutes to between 10 and 15 minutes had created operational difficulties for drivers because a penalty of Rs.500 could be imposed when the time limit was exceeded.
The drivers have asked the government to convene a stakeholder meeting involving TGPWU and issue a written resolution covering all pending issues. The report did not specify the number of flights or passengers affected by the boycott, nor did it include responses from Uber, Ola, Rapido or RGIA management. The Labour department’s August 31 communication remains the latest stated official step in the dispute.
