Key points:
- The minimum fare for 1.5 km for auto rickshaws will increase to ₹21 from ₹18. Thereafter, per kilometre rate will increase to ₹14.20 from the present ₹12.19.
- The minimum fare for black and yellow taxis for 1.5 km will be ₹25 from ₹22, and the per km rate will increase to ₹16.93 from ₹14.84.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) on Monday gave nod for a ₹3-hike in minimum fares for both auto and taxi, bringing fares to ₹21 and ₹25 respectively.
The minimum fare for 1.5 km for auto rickshaws will increase to ₹21 from ₹18. Thereafter, per kilometre rate will increase to ₹14.20 from the present ₹12.19. The minimum fare for black and yellow taxis for 1.5 km will be ₹25 from ₹22, and the per km rate will increase to ₹16.93 from ₹14.84.
“The price hike will be implemented from March 1. Auto Rickshaw and taxi drivers will have to get their meters calibrated by May 30,” said state transport minister Anil Parab.
Parab said the fare hike has been decided as per the criteria of the Khatua committee appointed by the state government to determine tariff hike formula. There are various factors in deciding revised fares such as transport bodies, price of vehicles, insurance cost, CNG prices, interest on loan, licence fees, and consumer index.
“A fare hike has not happened in the past six years. As per the rules of the Khatua committee, if there is an increase due of 50 paise in June, it should be given in that year itself. This fare hike was due for a long time. The transport department has helped several sections of the transportation sector by way of tax waiver, but we could not do so for auto and taxi drivers. The hike would give them some relief,”Parab said.
“The hike in petrol, diesel and CNG prices is an important factor. In this backdrop, auto and taxi drivers are also a section of society who should be given support by the government,” he said and added that the fare of shared auto and taxi routes will also be revised.
The last fare hike of auto rickshaws and taxis was in June 2015.
Unions have welcomed the move and said it will help the taxi drivers recover from losses they had to face during the lockdown. “We had demanded an increase in fares in 2019 as there has been a significant increase in prices of CNG. According to the Khatua committee report, the increased fare should be ₹27, but we demanded ₹25. Long distance passengers will not be impacted much,” said AL Quadros, leader, Mumbai Taximen’s Union.
“The fare hike was due for the past five years. Though it has happened now, other demands have been sidelined. Auto drivers should be provided ₹10,000 as compensation along with waiver of vehicle loans,” said Shashank Rao, president, Mumbai AutorickshawMen’s Union.
“The government should reconsider the increase in fare. This will be a steep increase. A minimum token amount fare hike was expected. There has been an increase in fuel prices, while autos and taxis operate on CNG. The increase in CNG price will have to be seen,” said Shirish Deshpande from Mumbai Grahak Panchayat.
Mumbai has around 200,000 auto rickshaws and 40,000 black-and-yellow taxis operating in the city.
Source: Hindustan Times
