Taxi and autorickshaw unions in Delhi started their two-day strike on Monday, demanding Compressed Natural Gas subsidies and fare increases, PTI reported.

Protests will be held outside of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house in Civil Lines, said Rajendra Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh.

The price of gas in Delhi and the National Capital Region has increased by Rs 14.98 per kg since April 1. As of Monday, CNG cost Rs 71.61 per kg in Delhi, whereas in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, it cost Rs 74.17 per kg. In Gurugram, CNG is priced at Rs 79.94 per kg.

Advertisement

Petrol and diesel prices had been increased by Rs 10 per litre between March 22 and April 6. In Delhi, a litre of petrol now costs Rs 105.41, whereas diesel is priced at Rs 96.67 per litre.

“CNG has become costlier and we cannot keep running our business on losses,” said Soni. “We should either be provided a subsidy of Rs 35 per kg on CNG or fares should be hiked.”

Soni said that the unions do not want the price of CNG and fuel to rise because it affects common people as well, ANI reported.

Ola and Uber cab drivers also went on a strike on Monday, said Kamaljeet Gill, president of the Sarvodaya Drivers’ Association of Delhi.

Advertisement

“Ola and Uber fares have not been increased since 2015 and we have protested against this many times but the government did not pay heed,” said Gill. “In these seven years, the prices of CNG and petrol started soaring high.”

Commuters in the national Capital on Monday faced difficulties in getting rides, PTI reported. Ola and Uber fares surged were due to the shortage of autorickshaws and taxis in the city, PTI reported.

The Aam Aadmi Party government had revised autorickshaw fares in June 2019, the Hindustan Times reported.

There are over 90,000 auto-rickshaws and more than 80,000 registered taxis complementing the public transport system in the city according to the news agency.