The emergence of platform-based service providers, such as Uber, Lyft, Airtasker, TaskRabbit, Deliveroo and Foodora has significantly slowed the growth of traditional industries worldwide. These platforms have disrupted established business models and posed significant challenges to the workforce employed in traditional sectors. Among these, app-based aggregators have significantly transformed Mumbai's iconic Black and Yellow (B&Y) taxi industry, posing serious challenges to incumbent drivers.

For centuries, the B&Y taxi industry in Mumbai has been predominantly dominated by migrant drivers. This domination created insecurities among native drivers, who feared losing their foothold in the taxi trade. Consequently, migrant drivers were often viewed as competitors, accused of taking employment opportunities meant for locals. However, the rapid technological advancements and the proliferation of app-based cab aggregators introduced a new dimension to the industry, altering the dynamics entirely. Therefore, in this paper, I try to explore the profound impact of app-based aggregators on the livelihoods of incumbent drivers and examine the strategies they adopted to navigate and overcome these challenges. I also highlight the factors that made the authorities formulate new taxi regulations and policies to address the growing tensions and imbalances in the industry. In order to achieve the objective of the paper, I used qualitative methodology with in-depth interview, focus group discussion and observation as methods.

To guide this exploration, I used Fredrik Barth's (1969) theory of ethnic groups and boundaries as a conceptual vessel. Barth's (1969) theory inherits the idea that ethnic boundaries are fluid, temporal, highly flexible, and shaped by historical, economic, and cultural circumstances. These boundaries are not rigid rather become blurred through interaction and various societal influences. Further, the theory emphasises the situation of crises over resources and broader societal changes, in which different ethnic groups navigate through a combination of accommodation and symbiosis (Solevad 2008). Ultimately, this leads to a transformation in identity shift.

The study reveals that incumbent taxi drivers, in response to the challenges posed by app-based aggregators, developed collective resistance strategies and came together beyond the binary of migrants versus non-migrants. These drivers united against the common enemy, which they perceived as unfairly dominating the market and disrupting their livelihoods. Together, they voiced their concerns and advocated for regulatory changes to curb the unregulated operations of app-based platforms. This collective resistance and negotiation compelled the government and policymakers to take action, resulting in measures like the City Taxi Scheme (2017).