Govt hikes fare for autorickshaws again in Bangalore

The state government on Monday further hiked the per kilometre auto fare to `9 from Friday’s `8.50. But the minimum fare charged for the first two kilometres will remain `17. The new fare will come into effect from August 1.

Auto unions, who were split over the extent of the auto fare hike, have now agreed to the new rates and have welcomed the government’s decision wholeheartedly. They have now decided to drop their plan of going on  an indefinite strike.

“The auto fare hike was inevitable in the light of the steep hike in fuel prices. Besides, we have not hiked auto fares in a long time,” transport minister R Ashok said.

However, considering that some autorickshaw drivers may resort to mischief by charging the new rates before August 1, transport officials said commuters may report their registration numbers to the nearest police station.

There is more bad news for commuters already sulking at the auto fare hike announced recently. On Monday, the state government agreed to the auto drivers’ demand to increase the fare further.
From August 1, commuters will pay Rs9 for every kilometre after the first two, an increase of 50 paise from the rate that was announced on Friday. However, there will be no change in the minimum fare of Rs17.

“The new rates are final and will come into effect from August 1,” transport minister R Ashoka said.

On Friday, the district administration had announced that the minimum fare would be hiked from Rs14 to Rs17, and Rs8.50 would be charged for every kilometre after that. But auto unions refused to accept the new rates and started an agitation demanding that the minimum fare be hiked to Rs20. Some drivers threatened to immolate themselves, while unions planned to go on an indefinite strike from August 1.

On Monday, around 4pm, when Ashoka announced the new fares after a meeting with representatives of the unions, he was swallowing his own words — only three hours earlier, he had declared that he would not yield to the pressure tactics of the unions. “The fares have not been hiked for several years. The upward revision was inevitable in view of the steep increase in fuel prices. The new fares will come into effect from August 1,” he said.

Auto unions welcomed the announcement and said they were dropping the plan for an indefinite strike. “We are satisfied with the decision,” ATS Arasu, general secretary, Bangalore Auto Drivers’ Union, said.

“We have accepted the decision. We will drop the proposal for an indefinite strike,” M Manjunath, president, Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union, said.

“But, drivers should stop tampering with meters if we want the public to travel in autorickshaws. We have requested the transport minister to take action against those regional transport officers and officials of the weight and measurement department who do not go to the field to check meters. We will not oppose action against drivers who tamper with meters; they should be sent to jail,” B Chandrashekar of the Karnataka Rajiv Gandhi Auto Chalakara Vedike, said.