Taxi Drivers and Taxidars: A Case Study of Uber and Ola in Delhi

Rina Kashyap and Anjali Bhatia
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Rina Kashyap: Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, & Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) Centre for Peace, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi
Anjali Bhatia: Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi

Journal of Developing Societies, 2018, vol. 34, issue 2, 169-194

Abstract: This article examines the role of the sharing economy in India’s development through the examples of aggregated taxis such as Uber and Ola in Delhi. 1 Based on a general survey of Uber and Ola drivers and users in Delhi, we argue that Uber and Ola do not measure up to their expected potential in the development of India’s economy on the parameters of ecological sustainability, employment through renting out assets and reduction in the need to own assets. Yet, Uber and Ola are notable for the creation of viable employment opportunities for drivers, and their many benefits for urban middle class users. Unique to the Uber and Ola phenomenon in India is the interception of driver opportunities by taxidars (taxi-owners). This tweaked Uber model for the Indian market allows the middle class individual—the police official, bureaucrat, property dealer, transporter or a professional—an entry into the aggregated taxi market.

Keywords: sharing economy; Uber; Ola; ‘new’ employment; taxidar; urban middle classes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:34:y:2018:i:2:p:169-194

DOI: 10.1177/0169796X18757144

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