Guwahati: App-based cab drivers have temporarily called off their indefinite strike after the govt issued show-cause notices to aggregators.The notices, issued by commissioner of transport Manvendra Pratap Singh, sought explanations from three major app-based cab aggregators over alleged violations of rules and orders issued by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH).The action came amid drivers’ protests over low fares and other operational concerns. The notices flagged alleged failures to address fare-related grievances, comply with prescribed office and grievance-redressal requirements, follow tipping-related directives and submit the required fare-suggestion methodology.The department has given the companies 14 days to explain the alleged violations but has not suspended or penalised them.“The issue has extended beyond the immediate fare structure; many of the drivers depend entirely on earnings from app-based trips to clear their vehicle loans, fuel expenses, maintenance costs and household needs. We have kept raising these concerns over the lack of clarity in fare calculations and the monetary share of each trip that the drivers were supposed to get, but nothing happened,” said Mrinal Banik, one of the app-cab drivers.The strike affected commuters across the city, with office-goers, students and passengers travelling to key transport hubs reporting difficulty in securing rides.Another driver, Bipul Das, said, “The strikes were called off because of us, as passengers are bearing the brunt. However, our protest will resume if our demands are not fulfilled by Sept 19. Even the transport minister, Charan Boro, has assured us of hearing our problems.”
