Autorickshaw, taxi fare may go up

People may have to shell out more to travel by autos and taxis as the government may allow increase in the fares in the wake of rise in price of CNG, auto union leaders said on Wednesday after a meeting with the transport minister.

Fare hike proposal

“The government is all set to accept the proposal for a fare hike as they have informed that the compressed natural gas (CNG) prices will not be reduced. Delhi transport
minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said he would look into our demand for a hike,” M S Mansuri, president, Rashtriya Rajdhani Shetra Tipahiya Chaalak Union said.

According to the autorickshaw and taxi union, at present autos charge Rs 19 for the first two kilometres.

 “We need it to be increased to Rs 29 as the CNG which then cost Rs 25 is now costing Rs 38.35,” Mansuri said.

Apart from this, for each subsequent kilometre, the unions demand a fare of Rs 9 as against Rs 6.50 now.

Formal announcement

“The transport minister has said that a formal announcement will be made within 15 days regarding the fare hike, but the transport minister and other officials are firm that they cannot lower the CNG prices,” said Rajendra Soni, president, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.

Soni said they have asked for increasing the taxi fare also, from Rs 20 for the first km to Rs 40 and an additional Rs 18 for each successive kilometres from Rs 11 now.

The taxi and auto unions have withdrawn their proposed strike on August 3 as of now, but said they will go for it if the government does not increase the fares within 15 days.

“If in case the government fails to meet its promise and fulfill our demands, we will be yet again forced to resume our protest and strike,” he added.

Apart from this, the autorickshaw unions also claimed that even three months after the Supreme Court order directing the Delhi transport department to issue 45,000 permits to run new autorickshaws in the city, the Delhi government has not done so.

“The transport minister has also promised to respond to the Supreme Court orders as soon as it can,” Soni said.

The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) had hiked CNG prices by Rs 1.75 a kg on January 1, 2012; by Rs 1.90 a kg on March 6, 2012; and Rs 2.90 per kg on July 6, 2012.

“There are a total of 55,000 autos in Delhi and all run on CNG. In such a case, the hike in CNG prices three times this year alone has turned it
expensive and un-affordable for us,” Mansuri said.