Disruptions and continuities in taxi driving - the case of Mumbai

Digital mobility platforms such as Uber have become an integral part of urban mobility, although policy responses range from abolition to integration into local transport regulations. Their expansion has provoked strong resistance from traditional taxi operators, who have faced significant losses of patronage and, in some cities, open conflict and violence. Despite their global business model and use of similar digital technologies, these services are deeply embedded in local social, political and economic contexts. Rather than simply disrupting existing mobility systems, they form part of broader processes of urban change and reproduce pre-existing social inequalities, socio-spatial fragmentation and exploitation characteristic of capitalist cities in both the Global North and South. The article examines the conflict between "new" and "old" forms of mobility and explores how global platform models interact with local urban conditions, using Mumbai and its iconic black-and-yellow taxis as a case study.