12 days on, cabbies call off their strike in Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

The Cab Operators Social Welfare Association today called off its 12-day-long strike. Drivers of mobile app-based taxis were on strike over their demands, including the settlement of pending tax, hike in the minimum fare and uniform entry tax in Mohali, Panchkula and Chandigarh.

Association president Harvinder Singh said the strike was called off after a meeting with Harjeet Singh Sandhu, Secretary, State Transport Authority, who assured them of taking up their demands with the higher authorities.

Due to the strike, most taxis remained off the road and passengers were forced to shell out more due to surge pricing of cabs.

The strike had hit students, women, the aged, IT professionals and people visiting the city hard.

As per the policy of the Administration, all commercial vehicles registered in the other states have to pay a fixed entry tax of Rs 1,000 per vehicle quarterly to the State Transport Authority (STA) while entering the city.

The UT Administration had given relaxation to the Ola and Uber managements to make payment of entry tax for the first two quarters of the current financial year by February 15, while the remaining payment could be cleared by March 31.