The next course of action in the Bhopal taxi strike is expected to be decided on Wednesday after representatives of taxi unions meet Transport Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh. Taxi operators in the city stopped services from midnight on Tuesday, leaving passengers at railway stations, the airport and other locations struggling to find cabs.

A meeting between transport officials and representatives of the taxi unions was held on Tuesday, but it did not lead to any final solution. Representatives including Nafisuddin, secretary of the Taxi Union Welfare Committee, All India, and Rajesh Kumar Nagale, general secretary of the Bhopal Taxi Drivers Association, attended the discussion along with other union members. The unions said the talks did not settle the issues behind the strike.

The unions will hold a protest at Board Office Square on Wednesday. Taxi drivers are expected to raise their demands during the demonstration, particularly over fare fixation and the functioning of app-based aggregator companies. They are also demanding action against the commercial use of vehicles registered with private number plates.

The union representatives will meet the transport minister after the protest. The discussions are expected to cover the problems being faced by drivers, the need for a regulated taxi fare and complaints regarding aggregator companies. What happens during this meeting will largely decide whether the strike continues in its present form.

The strike has already started affecting passengers in Bhopal. Cab services remained unavailable after midnight on August 18, and people arriving at Bhopal railway station and the airport had difficulty finding taxis. Some passengers turned to autorickshaws and other local transport options.

There were also complaints that some auto drivers were charging higher fares during the disruption. Passengers who were unable to book cabs through regular apps had limited alternatives, particularly those carrying luggage or travelling to destinations farther from the railway station and airport.

For taxi drivers, however, the dispute is about more than the immediate strike. Union representatives have been raising concerns over fares and the terms under which drivers work with aggregator companies. They want the government to intervene and ensure that the rates charged to passengers and the earnings available to drivers remain workable.

The Tuesday meeting with transport officials was seen as an attempt to resolve the issue before the strike affected more passengers, but no agreement was reached. The unions have therefore decided to continue with the planned demonstration and take the matter directly to the transport minister.

The situation remains fluid. If the government gives a concrete assurance on the major demands, the unions could consider ending the strike or changing the form of the protest. If the talks fail to produce a solution, taxi operators may decide to continue the shutdown.

For passengers, the immediate concern is the availability of cabs. With the strike continuing into Wednesday, people travelling to and from Bhopal airport and railway station may have to make alternative arrangements until the unions take a final call after their meeting with the minister.