Kolkata Traffic Paralysed by App Cab Drivers' Fare Protest
Traffic in extensive areas of central Kolkata was severely disrupted for several hours on Monday after app-based cab drivers, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), staged a blockade at the Moulali crossing. The drivers demanded that the government establish a minimum fare of Rs 30 per kilometre for app cabs, refusing to move until their petition was accepted.
Protest Details and Traffic Impact
According to police reports, around 12:10 PM, protesters blocked the entire Moulali crossing, shutting down all traffic in every direction for approximately 30 minutes. After a group attempted to submit a deputation to the transport department but was reportedly refused, dozens of app cabs were positioned across the road. Approximately 70 drivers, along with their vehicles, settled on the eastern flank of the crossing, continuing the agitation until 7:20 PM when it was finally called off.
The blockade effectively closed SN Banerjee Road, with police erecting barricades to prevent protesters from reaching Esplanade. Movement on AJC Bose Road was slowed from shortly after noon until late evening. Buses were forced to take long detours via Minto Park to access Esplanade, and services along Amherst Street were also affected.
Commuters Face Hardships and Price Surges
The protest led to a massive surge in app cab prices around central Kolkata, particularly impacting the Sealdah-Esplanade belt. CITU, which has around 2,000 app cabs under its wing, organized this flash protest, causing significant inconvenience to daily passengers.
Sanjukta Banerjee, a commuter travelling from Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, was asked to pay Rs 340 to reach Salt Lake. "I had to abandon my meeting with relatives as it was not possible for me at an advanced age to walk down to the Metro station," she said. Commuters from Sealdah and Entally towards Esplanade were among the worst affected, with hundreds seen walking long distances to reach Esplanade and the Chandni Chowk Metro station due to vehicles being unable to pass through the area.
Office-goers and students reported delays as buses and taxis were unable to enter the vicinity, exacerbating the congestion.
Union Responses and Government Stance
Indranil Banerjee of the West Bengal Online Cab Operators' Guild, another app cab union, expressed support for a fare structure but criticized the demand for a flat Rs 30 per kilometre minimum fare throughout the day as "anti-people." "We need the support of passengers. Hence, we have spoken to the transport department for introducing a scientific fare structure. The government said it is ready to discuss the issue," he stated.
A senior police officer confirmed that personnel were deployed at the site to manage the situation and keep traffic moving on alternative routes, but congestion persisted throughout the afternoon, highlighting the widespread impact of the protest on Kolkata's daily commute.
