Fuel hike puts Bengaluru's gig economy on the edge

Bengaluru: A cascading effect of the hike in fuel prices is set to hit residents hard, with app-based cab aggregators, autorickshaw unions, and delivery platforms planning a revision of their charges.

With profit margins severely hit by rising operational costs, app-based vehicle operators, including Ola and Uber drivers and local autorickshaw unions, are pushing for immediate fare rationalisation.

Gig workers and drivers on app-based platforms say they will shoulder immediate losses unless aggregators and authorities step in with relief.

"We are already running on thin margins; every extra rupee at the pump eats into our daily take-home," said Ramesh, an Ola driver who works 10 to 12 hours a day. "If fares do not change soon, many of us will have to cut hours or stop working altogether."

Autorickshaw unions and ride-hailing driver groups have scheduled meetings with platform representatives in the coming week to demand fare revisions and better fuel compensation.

"Drivers are asking for a clear mechanism tied to fuel rates so we do not have to beg for increases every time prices rise," said an auto drivers' union member.

Delivery partners for food and grocery platforms report an immediate squeeze.

"We are told delivery fees may rise for customers by Rs 2 to 5, but those changes will not reflect in our pay instantly," said Vinay Sarathi of the Gig Workers Association. "Until platforms adjust incentives, delivery riders will absorb the extra fuel cost, and that will hamper their earnings."

Santhosh, President of Sneha Jeevi Auto Drivers' Association, said the relentless rise in prices had left ordinary citizens and drivers devastated.

"It is not just petrol and diesel; even essential commodities like rice are poised to become costlier. Those of us relying on daily driving to survive are in deep distress. The recent hike of Rs 3 on petrol and diesel, coming on top of a 73-paise hike in LPG and a Rs 2 increase in CNG, is a severe blow to the driver community.

"We have already submitted memorandums demanding a revision of auto-meter fares and strict implementation of the 'One City, One Rate' system for cab drivers. While those demands remain unaddressed, these continuous fuel price hikes are fracturing our livelihoods. Cab aggregators pay drivers a mere Rs 15 to 16 per kilometre.

"Even after gruelling 12 to 14-hour workdays, running a household has become impossible. These hikes are pushing the entire driving community towards complete ruin. The government must immediately permit an auto fare revision and provide special wages to support struggling drivers."