The unemployed and small business owners turn to ride-sharing apps to pay their bills

Many who have lost jobs or are incurring huge loss in their businesses have joined the gig economy to earn a living, with the vast majority of them opting to work as riders on ride-sharing platforms.

Sitting on his parked motorbike beside an upscale restaurant in Lazimpat, Uttam Kumar Rai, his head bowed, stares intermittently at his smartphone’s Pathao app, a ride-sharing app.