The Hindu : Front Page : Autorickshaw fare fixed at Rs. 14

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Autorickshaw fare fixed at Rs. 14

Special Correspondent

The new fare will come into effect from Aug. 20
Federation of Coimbatore District Autorickshaw Unions has rejected the new fare

COIMBATORE: After a long wait, Coimbatore is set to have an officially announced meter fare in autorickshaws. District Collector and Regional Transport Authority Neeraj Mittal has announced Rs. 14 as the minimum fare for the first two kilometres and Rs. 6 for every subsequent kilometre.

The new fare, already introduced in Chennai, will take effect on August 20. This lays to rest speculation that a higher fare will be fixed for Coimbatore in view of the pressure from the autorickshaw unions for Rs. 20 as the minimum fare.

A committee comprising officials and transport experts had been formed here to study the requirements of both the passengers and the autorickshaw drivers. Consumer welfare organisations and autorickshaw unions participated in talks held to arrive at a fare. The unions had refused to accept anything less than Rs.20 as the minimum rate.

Though there were indications earlier that the unions’ demand would not be met, the official announcement came on Wednesday in the form of a release from the Collector. The administration also released a fare chart.

When meters that are not calibrated to the new charge are used, the chart will help the passengers know of the new fare to be paid. If the meter reads Rs.7 at the end of the journey, the passenger has to pay Rs.14. As against the old fare of Rs.100.15 on the existing meter rate, the new one will be Rs.173.60. The night charge can be 25 per cent more than the meter (new) fare. The waiting charge is 40 paise for five minutes.

The administration has offered 60 days for the autorickshaws to replace the old meters with the electronic/digital ones and 90 days to calibrate the meters to the new fare.

The fare chart, however, should be displayed in the vehicles. The charts can be obtained from the regional transport offices. The Collector warned the drivers against collecting fares in excess of the rates in the chart. Passengers can hire the vehicles at any point. The drivers should not refuse to go to any place the passengers mention.

President of the Federation of Coimbatore District Autorickshaw Unions P.K. Sukumaran rejected the new fare saying that it was not viable. The fare could not be imposed on them. “Use of force will not work,” he said.

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