Nagpur: The cab drivers’ agitation continued for the third consecutive day on Thursday disrupting services at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, with unions warning of intensifying protest if their demands remain unaddressed.Leading the agitation, union representative Deepak Sane said the drivers are prepared to escalate the stir. “If the issue is not resolved or we don’t receive any hearing from the administration by tonight, we will begin a sit-in protest from Friday. We tried reaching out to the district administration, but were told officials are occupied with VIP movement in the city. Our discussions with airport authorities have also not yielded any outcome. We do not intend to make passengers’ journeys difficult, but our concerns too need to be addressed,” he said.Despite the continued strike, a late-night visit on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon by TOI to the airport revealed marginal easing of the situation, with a handful of passengers managing to book cabs. However, the overall availability remained severely limited, forcing many travellers to rely on private pickups or walk long distances outside the airport premises in search of transport.Passengers arriving during the day continued to face inconvenience, particularly due to the lack of reliable last-mile connectivity. With app-based cab services largely unavailable and local operators demanding hiked prices, options remained scarce. Some commuters reported waiting for extended periods, while others opted for alternative arrangements at significantly higher costs, whereas some even walked till the airport square.“I kept trying for nearly half an hour before a cab finally got booked. Even after that, there was uncertainty, but eventually the driver did arrive and picked me up from the airport. It was quite stressful, especially after a long journey,” said Sanika Shende, a passenger at the airport.Another passenger, Priyank Meshram, said, “There were no cabs available when I stepped out, and the waiting time kept increasing on the app. I had no option but to book a private auto, and the fare was much higher than usual.”Union members indicated that a shift to a sit-in protest could further impact operations if the authorities fail to intervene on time. The drivers have been demanding a resolution to their grievances, alleging a lack of response from the administration so far. Protesters are saying that the 100 parking fee and lack of any kind of formal agreements are some of the key triggers for the protest.With the threat of a prolonged protest, the situation at the airport remains fluid, and commuters are advised to plan their travel accordingly.
