Auto fares on apps fall after Karnataka HC order

A day after the High Court ordered ride aggregators to go by rates notified by the government, fares fell sharply on some apps.

Passengers had complained that the minimum fare on apps had crossed Rs 100 for 2 km.

The same ride on Uber came down to Rs 40 in several places. It was Rs 60 on Ola, while the Rapido app showed Rs 91. There were variations in the fares on different routes.

The government-notified rate is: Rs 35 minimum for the first 1.8 km, followed by Rs 15 for every subsequent kilometre. The government came down on the aggregators last week after complaints that the fare for 2-km auto rickshaw ride had crossed Rs 100.

The court has allowed aggregators to charge 10 per cent of the fare as commission as well as GST. The order applies to the next 15 days. It has also ordered the Transport Department to come up with a new fare mechanism to regulate auto fares on aggregator apps.

There was relief among passengers as fares dropped. “I have five apps and checked all of them before making a decision.

The fares have come down on some. How can the others continue to charge high,” said Prasad N, a passenger who hailed a 2 km ride from Malleswaram.