JOIN USCommuters in the City have expressed their unhappiness over the increase in auto fare, as they feel it will further burden them financially.
The increase in minimum fare from Rs 17 to Rs 20 and from Rs nine to Rs 12 a kilometre, will come into effect from Monday.
Most of the people Deccan Herald spoke to said why the prices of natural gas or petrol in the City should be the highest in the country when the government could not bring any remarkable change in the lifestyle of people living in the City or the State.
Haripriya and Dr Narasimha Murthy from Hyderabad, who frequently visit Bangalore, said the hike was too much and commuters would feel being fleeced by the autodrivers.
“In Hyderabad, the minimum auto fare is Rs 14, whereas in Bangalore it will be Rs 20.
Now, we are scared of travelling in autorickshaws. The government should reconsider its decision,” said Haripriya.
Senior citizens’ woes
A senior citizen, P Chandrashekhar from Sanjay Nagar, said he spent Rs 90 to reach MG Road. But, soon he will have to restrict his movement within the limits of his residence as he cannot afford to spend Rs 120 or Rs 130 on auto, he said.
“The Metro rail could offer some relief, but I don’t think within my lifetime I will see it reaching Sanjay Nagar. Increase in autorickshaw fare will deal a big blow to the senior citizens,” said Chandrashekhar.
Deepak from Mangalore, a student and resident of JP Nagar, said the increase in auto fare doesn’t affect him personally as he commutes by bike, but his friends would suffer a lot.
“Most of my friends are dependent on autos and they have already started complaining about the hike in auto fare,” said Deepak.
Bhanupriya, a commuter, said the government’s decision on the revised fare would adversely affect the poor and the lower middle class.
Sandhya Arora, a resident of Kalyan Nagar, said the State government should increase the frequency of Volvo buses so that dependency on autoricksaw decreases.
“Now it will cost Rs 150 to commute to MG Road and I have no other option,” Arora said.
Vanisha Joseph, an employee of Wipro, said the hike doesn’t really make much difference as a lot of auto drivers don’t go by the meter anyways.
“They demand fare at their will. I don’t mind the hike if only the government enforces the new fare strictly,” she says.