The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : The fare war hots up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

The fare war hots up

By Sandhya Soman

CHENNAI, DEC. 7. It is an issue that is fuelling heated arguments in Chennai. Autorickshaw drivers and their unions want the Government to look into their long-pending demand for a hike in passenger fares — a demand that is strengthening in the face of rising fuel prices.

Transport department officials, however, say that the ball is now in the Government's court.

"We have submitted the revised fares prevailing in the neighbouring States so that the minimum fare (Rs. 7 for the first 2 km and Rs. 3.50 a km thereafter) can be increased," says a senior official.

Other States

According to K. Kumar, president, Goodwill Auto Drivers Union, the minimum fare in Maharashtra is Rs. 9 for the first 1.5 km, while it is Rs. 10 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for the first 2 km.

Autorickshaw unions and consumer organisations have already presented a list of fares in other States as well as the proposed rates in Tamil Nadu, says Indian Organisation for Developmental Action (INODA) member, K.S. Subramanian.

Cost of living

"The fare structure we proposed is based not only on the petrol price hike but also the cost of living," he says.

This is the latest in the series of representations made since the last fare hike in 1996.

The delay in taking a decision has affected the quality of service in the city, which has 44,589 registered autos that have a reputation for fleecing, haggling and tampering with the meters.

"I do not travel by autorickshaws because I find the drivers rude," says K. Seetha, an office-goer. Others just shell out the fare demanded.

Regular customers

Bapu. L, who has been driving autorickshaws for the past 27 years, said he had arrived at an "understanding" with the regular passengers to sustain his livelihood.

For a Rs. 40-ride, he asks Rs. 50, which, he says, comes back to the `real' fare.

But even he is unhappy with the way his two-year-old electronic meter has been functioning.

"It's just a showpiece. Even if I tell the passengers to go by the meter, they don't want me to use it because they think it's been rigged."

He blames fellow drivers who stick to "old mechanical meters" that could be "easily" tampered.

However, the passengers also have to exercise their right while flagging down an auto, according to secretary, Automobile Association of Southern India, M.K. Subramanian.

"Passengers do not have to ask whether the auto will take them where they want.

Autorickshaw drivers cannot refuse to take them where they want under the Motor Vehicles Act."

But for that to happen, a clean meter based on a realistic fare structure is required, adds Mr. Subramanian.

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