Will temporarily raise auto, taxi fares as per Hakim panel suggestions: Maharashtra government to Bombay High Court

The state government on Tuesday clarified that it would temporarily increase the fare of autos and taxis based on the now scrapped Hakim Committee recommendations until the new committee appointed to study the fare hike submits its report.

Government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani informed the court that the recalibration process will start from June 25 and once that is completed the revised fares will be applicable.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) had on May 11 proposed a hike in the basic fare of autos and taxis. The minimum fare for autos is expected to go up from Rs17 to Rs18, while taxi fares are likely to go up from the minimum Rs21 to Rs22.

The fare hike has to be approved by the high court, as a public interest litigation has been filed by the NGO Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, challenging the recommendations of the Hakim Committee.

Advocate Uday Warunjikar opposed the stand of the state and asked for a stay on the revision of fares until the new committee gives its recommendations. A contempt petition has also been filed by the NGO as autos and taxis went on strike recently, which, the petition claimed, was in complete violation of high court orders.

Vangyani, however, argued that the contempt petition is for another reason and the main petition is for fare hike, and both matters can't be clubbed.

A division bench of justices Naresh Patil and SB Shukhre has now kept the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

The hike will come into effect only after the meters of the over 1.05 lakh autos and over 35,000 taxis in the city are re-calibrated.