Bhopal airport taxi drivers’ strike postponed after permission denied:Administration cites VVIP movement, defers protest against aggregator companies

The proposed strike by online taxi drivers at Bhopal Airport, scheduled for June 23, 24, and 25, has been postponed after the administration denied permission for the planned protest, citing VVIP movement in the area. The taxi drivers had announced that they would boycott all online bookings during the three-day strike in protest against aggregator companies. Administration revokes protest permission Late on Monday night, the Bhopal Taxi Drivers’ Union, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, confirmed that permission for the sit-in demonstration had been cancelled. According to the union, approval had been sought to hold protests near the Gandhi Nagar area of the airport between June 23 and 25. However, the district administration and Gandhi Nagar Police Station rejected the request due to scheduled VVIP movement. The union described the decision as an attempt to suppress the voices of economically vulnerable drivers. It maintained that all its protests have always been conducted lawfully and with prior permission, stressing that it does not intend to create public disorder but seeks to fight for drivers’ rights through constitutional means. The organisation warned that it would soon seek fresh permission and launch a more aggressive protest against aggregator companies. Memorandums submitted earlier, but no action taken Union General Secretary Rajesh Kumar Nagle said the organisation had earlier staged symbolic demonstrations at Board Office Square on February 7 and June 12, submitting memorandums to the government and local administration. However, with no concrete action taken so far, he said stronger measures had become necessary to protect drivers’ livelihoods. The union also warned that if its demands continue to be ignored, taxi and auto services across the city could be brought to a complete halt, potentially causing significant inconvenience to the public. ‘Increasing fares is the only solution’ The union stated that its primary demand is the implementation of government-approved fare rates. It alleged that aggregator companies are paying drivers below the prescribed rates by exploiting certain provisions in existing regulations. More than 4,500 passengers travel daily According to April 2026 data, a total of 138,060 passengers travelled through Bhopal Airport during the month, averaging more than 4,500 passengers each day. The airport currently handles around 34 to 36 scheduled flights daily. It operates the highest number of services to Delhi, with six to seven flights a day, followed by four flights to Mumbai and two each to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. It also offers one daily flight each to Raipur, Pune, and Ahmedabad.