What began as a protest has quickly turned into a full-blown transport crisis. For the second consecutive day, popular online cab services Ola, Uber, and Rapido remain completely offline across the Odisha capital, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling for alternatives.
At Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar Railway Station, and major bus stands, harried travellers are being forced to rely on offline taxis and auto-rickshaws that have hiked fares by nearly three times. Routes that earlier cost around ₹100 for a one-way trip are now being quoted at ₹300 or more.
“I landed late last night and was shocked when the offline driver asked for ₹350 for a short ride that used to cost ₹120 on the app,” said a passenger waiting outside the airport. Similar scenes of frustration and negotiation played out throughout the city on Tuesday.
Drivers Firm on Demands
The joint forum of online cab drivers, comprising 20 associations, has made it clear that the strike will continue until the state government intervenes and fixes a reasonable fare structure with the cab aggregators. “We will not resume services until our seven-point demands are met. The government must sit with the companies and notify revised rates,” a spokesperson for the joint platform said.
While some drivers have shifted from sit-in protests to picketing at key locations on the second day, the overall service blackout remains total.
Police Tighten Security
Anticipating trouble after Monday’s chaos near the airport, the Commissionerate Police has deployed five additional platoons and heightened security at all major junctions and crowded spots. Extra personnel are keeping a close watch, and arrangements have been made to ferry elderly and emergency passengers to hospitals or police stations in PCR vans if needed.
Additional DCP Sanjay Mahapatra confirmed that the situation is under constant monitoring in coordination with local IICs and zonal ACPs.
AMA Bus Comes to the Rescue
In a timely relief measure, Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has introduced special ‘AMA Bus’ shuttle services for stranded passengers. Two dedicated routes are now operational:
– Biju Patnaik International Airport ↔ Bhubaneswar Railway Station (via AG Square)
– Baramunda BSABT ↔ Airport
The airport-bound buses from Baramunda stop at key points including Rajadhani College, Fire Station Square, Vivekananda Hospital, Delta Square, Satabdi Nagar, City Women’s College, OUAT Square, Gangnagar Square, Unit-6, and New Airport Square.
CRUT officials said the free or low-cost shuttle aims to ease the daily commute of ordinary citizens until normal cab services resume.
As the standoff between drivers and aggregators continues, ordinary Bhubaneswar residents and visitors are left bearing the brunt — paying through the nose for every kilometre while waiting for a resolution that still appears distant.
