Irate drivers pelt stones at Uber Office in HSR layout

BENGALURU: The Uber office in HSR Layout came under heavy stone-pelting by cab drivers on Tuesday . The drivers were angry that the firm that operates the popular taxi-hailing app did not release them the incentives they had been promised.

The drivers became furious and turned to vandalising the Uber office after their talks with the management failed. They were forced out of office and gates locked.Their efforts to gain reentry turned futile and they took to violence damaging the glass panes.

No one had been hurt, the police said. "Uber is cheating drivers. They promised to give us Rs 350 for every trip. When we received payment in the weekend, there was no incentive," alleged a driver not wanting to identify himself.

Another driver sought to give a clean chit to Uber. According to him, as per Uber's policy , drivers are entitled to Rs 275 as an incentive and a reward of Rs 75 if they work for six hours in the morning and eight hours in the evening and did 10 trips. "We also get additional incentive of Rs 700 for six trips and Rs 1200 for 12 trips.There is one condition that a driver should accept 60% of the trips," the driver said, adding that "there is some misunderstanding because many drivers don't accept long-distance trips."

Talks between drivers and Uber were on for the past ten days, according to DCP (South East) Rohini Katoch Sepat. "This is an issue that concerns the Labour Department. We have received a complaint from Uber on their office being vandalised. We are looking at CCTV camera footage.Action will be taken against persons who were involved," she said.

Uber executives were not reachable for a comment.