Auto-rickshaw and taxi fares in the national capital region are set to hike by Rs 1.50 and Rs 15 respectively with the Delhi transport department giving in-principle nod for the same. The proposal will now be placed in the next Cabinet meeting for the final approval.
If the proposal is approved by the Cabinet, the base rate for taxi rides will increase by Rs 15 while the fare for auto-rickshaw will go up by Rs 1.50 per kilometre.
The taxi fares were last hiked in 2013 and the 13-member committee constituted by Delhi Transport Ministry took into account the the rise in CNG prices over these nine years as well as the rise in the cost of vehicle replacement parts. The committee was formed following protests by auto and taxi drivers in April against the hiked CNG prices.
According to officials, the committee submitted its report in May this year recommending a Rs 1.50 hike per km for auto-rickshaw and up to 60 per cent in taxi fares.
Currently, the starting meter rate in autos is Rs 25 which will increase to Rs 30, and Rs 11 will be charged for each km instead of the current Rs 9.50. For AC taxis, meter charges will climb from Rs 25 to Rs 40 and for non-AC taxis from Rs 14 to Rs 17, said officials. After the hike, each kilometre price will be increased from Rs 17 to Rs 14, said officials.
App-based aggregators had already hiked their prices while there had been no revision in the prices of auto-rickshaws and taxis, whose fares are regulated by the government.
“Based on the recommendations, we will be hiking the fares after Cabinet approval,” Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot confirmed.
The price of CNG has risen to Rs 75.61 per kg within a span of over six months. It was Rs 52.04 on January 1 this year.
The members of the committee had travelled in auto-rickshaws and taxis to gauge the mood of the drivers before making its recommendations.
According to the officials, the committee had also considered other factors like consumer price index, competition with cab aggregators while making its recommendations.
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