Strike by a section of online taxi operators continues in Kerala

Most drivers attached to online taxi aggregator firms, barring a prominent online taxi-car platform, on Friday (July 24, 2026) evening decided to call off the indefinite ‘offline strike’ that the All Kerala Online Drivers Union Alliance (AKODUA) and other allied bodies had embarked on since July 21.

The app-based mobility platforms, mainly Kerala Savari and Rapido, have decided to resume services after the three-day strike, said Sajin Jose, a representative of the online drivers’ alliance. “With Uber not heeding the demands that we have persistently raised over the past decade, including reducing the percentage of commission levied on fares, it has now been decided that drivers will operate only through other mobility apps. Another round of talks will be held with the online platform’s officials next week, after which a decision will be taken on the ongoing strike,” he said.

The agitating drivers of around 30,000 online taxis, most of which operate in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, have also been seeking a fare revision in accordance with government norms, citing the increase in fuel prices, operation and maintenance expenses, and the ‘arbitrary’ locking of their IDs based on customer feedback. Online autorickshaws, however, have continued to operate.

Online Taxi Drivers’ Union president Sahir K.T. confirmed that member drivers had been instructed to switch on all mobility apps except Uber. “We are also reaching out to non-member drivers to spread awareness about the decision to go ahead with the offline strike against the platform,” he said.