The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Autorickshaw fare to be revised from tomorrow

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Thursday, Jan 31, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Autorickshaw fare to be revised from tomorrow

Staff Reporter

Minimum fare fixed at Rs. 14, it is Rs. 7 a km thereafter

BANGALORE: That ride in the autorickshaw will get more expensive from February 1. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) on Wednesday decided to raise the minimum fare to Rs. 14 from the present Rs. 12. Similarly, for every km thereafter, it has raised the fare to Rs. 7 from the existing Rs. 6.

RTA Chairman M.A. Sadiq, who chaired the meeting, told presspersons the increase had been effected keeping in view the rising prices of essential commodities.

Many variables

“We have worked on many variables to arrive at the price,” he said.

The fares were revised following demand from many unions representing autorickshaw drivers and owners, who had taken off their vehicles from road on January 11 seeking revision of fares. After receiving feedback from the public and looking into various variables, the sub-committee headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) Seemanth Kumar Singh had suggested the revision.

Technical issues

On the demand of autorickshaw drivers that the minimum should be kept at Rs. 15 instead of Rs. 14 since getting the change would be difficult, Mr. Sadiq said the rates were fixed taking technical issues into consideration, and that the fare could not be fixed keeping in mind the availability of change.

Further, the RTA decided to give time till March 31 for the autorickshaw drivers to recalibrate their meters.

Till such time, the drivers had to carry the rate card issued by the transport authority.

Sources in the RTA said the drivers would be issued a rate card, which would be attested by the transport authority.

As the RTA announced the revised autorickshaw fares on Wednesday, Jai Bhuvaneshwari Auto and Taxi Drivers Union welcomed the revision while Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers Union has said that it would submit a memorandum seeking a minimum fare of Rs. 15 and the Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union had demanded a minimum fare of Rs. 12 for 1.5 km instead of two km.

‘Unilateral decision’

Autoricshaw Drivers’ Union general secretary B.V. Raghavendra said the transport authority had taken a unilateral decision on fare revision, and that they would be organising an indefinite dharna at Banappa Park demanding implementation of their demands.

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