In the wake of the indefinite strike called by the app-based cab drivers at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) came to the rescue of air passengers, who were struggling for commuting from airport to their destinations. The Municipal Corporation launched additional Aapli Bus service from Thursday. Responding to the situation, the civic body held an urgent meeting and announced a key relief measure. The civic body has extended its ‘Aapli Bus’ service from the Airport to Sitabuldi. Starting Thursday, additional buses will run continuously on this route to facilitate smooth passenger movement. As per the information, an additional AC bus has been deployed, bringing the total number of buses operating on this route to two. This initiative aims to provide greater convenience, improved accessibility, and a more comfortable travel experience for commuters. With this enhancement, the buses will collectively operate 20 trips daily between Aapli Bus Terminal (Morbhavan) and the Airport, ensuring reliable and frequent service.

 

The service will run at a 30-minute frequency, starting from 6 am to 9.20 pm, making travel more convenient and significantly reducing passenger waiting time. The disruption began on Tuesday after app-based taxi drivers’ associations suspended pick-up and drop services at the airport over various demands. The sudden strike left many travellers stranded, especially those arriving from other cities, forcing them to walk nearly a kilometre to reach the Wardha Road in extreme heat while carrying luggage. Passengers reported significant delays and inconvenience, with limited transport options available. Many had to depend on private vehicles or autorickshaws after walking long distances. Following reports published on April 14 highlighting the issue, the administration stepped in to deploy continuous bus services to ease the situation.

 

As per the civic body, the route will cover key stops, including Lokmat Square, Rahate Colony Metro Station, Ajni Metro Station, Chhatrapati Square, Jaiprakash Nagar Metro Station, Ujjwal Nagar, and Airport Metro Station, before reaching the Airport. This initiative reflects Aapli Bus’ continued commitment to addressing commuter needs and delivering convenient, passenger-friendly services.

 

 

The ongoing ‘no pick-up, no drop’ protest by app-based cab drivers at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is looking all set to intensify as authorities have not come forward to resolve the issue of the cab drivers, informed Deepak Sane, President, Taxi Vehicle Drivers and Owners Joint Action Committee. The protesters state that none of the authorities are ready to take notice of the issues, while making alternate arrangements for the passengers. “We requested airport authorities to write to aggregators regarding our issues, but we got no help from them,” said Sane. He also added that the delegation did not get any response from the district administration despite several assurances. “The airport authorities have now allowed pick-up to cabs from drop-and-go area, whereas earlier, they used to challan the cabs boarding passengers from outside the parking area,” informed Sane. He also cited example of starting city bus service from airport as another step of ignoring the protesters. Looking at the apathy of the administration, Sane expressed their intention of intensifying the protest. “We will take a decision on intensifying our protest to attract the attention of authorities,” said Sane. He did not clarify the nature of further protest, which will be decided in meeting later, informed Sane.