Bhubaneswar, Aug. 17 -- The Odisha Online Drivers United Forum staged a peaceful protest in Bhubaneswar on Monday and called for an Odisha bandh against online taxi companies, including Ola, Uber, Rapido and Odisha Yatri. The drivers are demanding government regulation of fares and measures to safeguard their interests.

The forum said 21 smaller union groups have extended support to the bandh. It has announced protests across all districts, with Cuttack and Bhubaneswar expected to witness stronger participation.

The drivers want the government to fix fares for online taxis instead of allowing platforms to determine prices at their discretion. They have also demanded an end to what they describe as arbitrary fare decisions by online taxi...