Auto fares in Bengaluru may go up in coming weeks, meeting on March 12

Bengaluru: Auto-rickshaw fares may go up this month, subject to the outcome of a high-level meeting scheduled for March 12. 

Some drivers' unions have been seeking higher fares for a long time now. 

In 11 years, auto fares have been revised only twice. The most recent revision — in November 2021 — set the base fare at Rs 30 for the first 1.9 km and Rs 15 for every subsequent km. 

The Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU) and the Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union (AATDU) want the base fare to increase to Rs 40 and the per-kilometre charge to Rs 20. 

However, some drivers' unions fear that higher fares will drive passengers away. 

The auto fares are decided by the District Transport Authority (DTA), chaired by the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner, Jagadeesha G. 

The city's 10 Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), Deputy Commissioners of Police (Traffic), and representatives of driver unions are members of this authority. The DTA evaluates factors like fuel prices and traffic conditions before deciding on fare revisions. 

The DTA has formed a five-member committee to look into the matter. It will meet on March 12. It will evaluate traffic conditions and passenger demand, and submit a report to the deputy commissioner, who will take a final decision. 

The committee has five members: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) Sahil Bagla (chairman), RTO (State Transport Undertakings/Auto-rickshaws, secretary) Soundarya KS, Jayanagar RTO S Mallesh, and an official of the Department of Legal Metrology. 

Bagla confirmed the meeting on March 12 and said they would hear out all stakeholders before submitting a report. He declined to give a timeline about the when the fare hike, if any, would happen. 

However, the ARDU's D Rudramurthy is hopeful that the committee will recommend a hike, which will come into effect later this month.