Ranit Kr. Singh , New Delhi - Commuters across Delhi-NCR are bracing for severe travel disruptions as over 68 transport unions launched a three-day "chakka jam" strike on Thursday. The protest, organized under the banner of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) and the United Front of All Transport Associations (UFTA), has halted app-based cabs, auto-rickshaws, and commercial taxi services. Running from May 21 to May 23, the strike is expected to trigger long wait times and heavy surge pricing during peak hours, though the Delhi Metro and DTC buses continue to operate normally.

The mass protest stems from mounting financial distress among drivers, who argue that official taxi and auto fares have remained stagnant for nearly 15 years despite skyrocketing inflation. Recent geopolitical tensions in West Asia have pushed global crude oil prices over $100 per barrel, forcing domestic hikes that left petrol at ₹98.64 per litre and CNG at ₹80.09 per kg. Striking workers are demanding an immediate fare revision, strict regulation of commissions charged by aggregators like Ola and Uber, a rollback of the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) hike, and a reconsideration of the upcoming November 2026 ban on older BS-4 commercial vehicles.

Highlighting the desperation brewing within the local transport sector, Chalak Shakti Union vice-president Anuj Kumar Rathore emphasized the heavy toll the economic squeeze has taken on everyday operators, stating, “We are working shifts of twelve or ten hours, yet we still cannot make ends meet.”