Delhiites to shell out more for travelling in autos, taxis

You will have to shell out more for travelling in autos and taxis in the national capital with the Delhi government today hiking the fares for both modes of transport following increase in CNG prices.

Making the announcement, transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said the minimum fare for autos will be increased from current Rs10 (first 1km) to Rs19 (for first 2km). Subsequently, per km fare after the first 2km will be Rs6.50 instead of current Rs4.50.

Lovely said apart from hike in CNG prices, the annual maintenance cost of autos has gone gone up by 70% in last four years while the CNG prices have gone by 66% during this period.

The last auto fare hike was effected in 2007. Government has made it mandatory that all the autos will have to install Global Positioning System (GPS) within next six months, failing which permission will be cancelled.

He said government will monitor the autos through GPS and ensure that they run on metres and do not harass commuters.

Lovely said the minimum fare for yellow and black taxis will go up from Rs15 to Rs20 for first 1km while the rate will be Rs11 instead of current Rs8.50 for subsequent kilometre.

He said government will launch a new non-AC taxi service in which there will be flat rate of Rs10 per kilometre.

The government's move comes after autorickshaw unions threatened to go on a strike after the Centre decided to hike the CNG rate.

They had been contending that since the price of the natural gas has been hiked five times in the past one year, they need a hike in the fare structure too.

The CNG rate in Delhi has gone up by Rs5.60 per kg - from Rs21.90 to Rs27.50 per kg.

Officials of the transport department held a meeting with the auto rickshaw unions to finalise the fare structure and also told them to make sure that auto drivers comply with metres after the fare hike.