Petrol-Diesel Price Hike: App-Based Gig Workers Plan 5-Hour Shutdown Across India

Gig workers across India have announced a temporary nationwide strike on Saturday, urging app-based cab drivers and delivery workers to stop services from 12 pm to 5 pm. The protest has been called to highlight growing concerns over rising fuel prices and low payment rates that are affecting the daily income of thousands of workers.

The Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) has appealed to workers across the country to participate in the shutdown. According to the union, increasing petrol and diesel prices are making it extremely difficult for gig workers to survive despite working long hours every day.

Taking to social media platform X, the union wrote, “GIPSWU appeals to gig & platform workers across India to observe a temporary shutdown of app-based services tomorrow from 12 pm to 5 pm in protest against rising fuel prices and inadequate payment rates.”

Fuel Price Hike Triggers Fresh Concerns Among Gig Workers

The protest comes shortly after oil marketing companies increased petrol and diesel prices by nearly Rs 3 per litre across India. Following the latest fuel price hike, petrol in Delhi now costs around Rs 97.77 per litre, while diesel prices have touched Rs 90.67 per litre.

The sharp rise in fuel prices is linked to ongoing global energy supply disruptions caused by tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. International crude oil prices have reportedly jumped from nearly $70 per barrel before the conflict to around $105 per barrel.

For gig workers who spend most of their working hours on the road, the fuel price increase has directly impacted daily earnings and operational costs.

Cab Drivers Say Earnings Are Shrinking Rapidly

Many cab drivers and delivery executives say the current pricing structure offered by app-based platforms is no longer sustainable. Workers argue that while fuel expenses are increasing almost every week, customer fares and delivery payouts are not rising at the same pace.

“Every time fuel prices increase, our expenses go up immediately, but customer fares do not increase accordingly,” said Mohammed, a cab driver attached to an app-based service. “After paying commission and fuel charges, very little money remains with us at the end of the day. Some days it becomes difficult even to meet household expenses.”

Drivers believe that fuel costs are now taking away a much larger portion of their daily income. Many workers say they are struggling to cover household expenses, loan EMIs, and vehicle maintenance costs.

Hyderabad Sees Sharp Increase in Petrol and Diesel Rates

The impact of the fuel price hike has also been strongly felt in Hyderabad. Petrol prices in the city have increased by more than Rs 3.3 per litre and now stand at nearly Rs 110.8 per litre, compared to the earlier range of Rs 107.45 to Rs 107.5.

Diesel prices have also gone up significantly, rising from around Rs 95.7 per litre to nearly Rs 98.9 per litre.

For delivery workers and drivers operating in metro cities, these higher fuel costs are reducing already thin profit margins.

Oil Companies Hint at Possible Future Fuel Price Hikes

Public sector oil companies announced the latest petrol and diesel price hike on Friday. Although piped kitchen gas prices have remained unchanged for now, officials have indicated that additional fuel price hikes may happen in the coming weeks depending on government decisions and global crude oil trends.

Reports suggest that oil marketing companies are still facing heavy losses despite the recent increase. According to Crisil estimates, state-run fuel retailers continue to lose nearly Rs 10 per litre on petrol and around Rs 13 per litre on diesel.

India’s fuel prices remain heavily influenced by global crude oil prices and taxation policies. The cost of crude oil imported by Indian refiners has reportedly increased by over 53 percent since February.

Gig Workers Hope Protest Draws Attention to Their Struggles

Through the temporary shutdown, gig workers aim to draw attention to the financial pressure faced by app-based drivers and delivery executives across India. Workers say rising fuel prices, platform commissions, and low payouts are making it increasingly difficult to earn a stable income.

The protest is expected to impact cab bookings and food delivery services in several cities during the five-hour shutdown period. Gig worker unions are now demanding fair fare revisions and better compensation structures to help workers cope with rising operational costs.