<p>Tourist destinations, like Mysuru, have both advantages and disadvantages. While appreciating the positive aspects of Mysuru, people, including tourists, point at the negative sides, like exploitation by auto drivers.</p>.<p>Most of the tourist destinations in Mysuru, like Mysuru Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Zoo, Karanji Lake, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Devaraja Market, Kaveri Emporium, St Philomena’s Church, Railway Museum, KSIC Mysuru Silk showroom, KSIC Silk Factory, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalay, etc, and frequently visited facilities such as hotels, railway station, KSRTC sub-urban bus stand and KSRTC city bus stand, are within a ‘road distance’ of 2 km, from each other.</p>.<p><strong>New minimum</strong></p>.<p>Most of the auto drivers charge a minimum of Rs 50, while the revised minimum fare is Rs 30, for up to 2 km. Residents and tourists have various complaints against auto-rickshaw services, including the ones availed via aggregator platforms.</p>.<p>C Raghavendra, an IT professional from Bengaluru and a native of Shivamogga, said, “I travelled by train to avoid weekend traffic and also due to the ongoing Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway works, because only my wife accompanied me. To avoid arguments with auto drivers and also to avoid a queue before the pre-paid auto counter, I booked an auto on an aggregator platform, after having lunch at the restaurant adjoining the railway station.”</p>.<p><strong>Unruly behaviour</strong></p>.<p>Raghavendra said, “I called the auto driver, who asked my location. I told him that I was in front of the restaurant. He arrived in a few minutes. When I and my wife were boarding, the auto drivers who had formed a queue at the pre-paid auto counter, confronted the driver who came to pick us. They said that he was not supposed to pick passengers there, as the aggregator pick-up point was on the opposite side of the Circle. They even tried to assault him.”</p>.<p>“We somehow boarded the auto. We had moved a few metres when the driver asked us to pay Rs 10 extra over the fare mentioned by the aggregator. The mentioned fare was Rs 45 for the destination, a hotel, which was at a distance of just over one km. Since the driver had escaped an assault attempt, we sympathised with him and agreed to pay the extra amount,” Raghavendra said.</p>.<p><strong>In a hurry</strong></p>.<p>Puneeth Rai, a tourist from Davangere, accompanied by a couple of friends, said, after their tour of Mysuru Palace, they enquired with an auto driver at Varaha Gate for a drop to Jaganmohan Palace, who demanded Rs 50.</p>.<p>“The distance was just over 1 km. We knew that we were over-charged. But we did not want to waste our time and energy arguing with him. However, we asked him if Rs 50 was the new minimum fare. He did not answer, but complained about the hike in price of CNG and other essentials. We said that we will pay him as per his demand, but just wanted to know if Rs 50 was the new minimum. He did not answer,” Rai said.</p>.<p><strong>Pre-paid counters</strong></p>.<p>C S Nanjundaswamy, president of Autorickshaw Owners and Drivers’ Association, admitted that drivers in some stands over-charge and fleece passengers. “They are a disgrace to our community. Even I complain with the police about such unruly drivers. To check exploitation of passengers, I had urged the deputy commissioner for opening pre-paid counters at Varaha Gate, Gun House on Ooty Road and at Aar Gate or Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle. The Gun House counter is yet to open. The Aar Gate counter was closed during the Covid crisis, but is open now. The Varaha Gate counter is yet to reopen. We need such counters at some more places.</p>.<p>Nanjundaswamy called for self-discipline among auto drivers. “How many more days can we expect the police to monitor us? Should we not provide services with ethics and concern for our passengers?” he asked.</p>.<p><strong>Mutual courtesy</strong></p>.<p>Divya Vinay, principal of a montessori, said, after living in Mumbai and travelling in local trains, autos have become an integral part of her life in Mysuru. “I admit that auto drivers demand Rs 10 or Rs 20 extra on actual fare. But they are also helpless, as the price of petrol and CNG has increased. Post-Covid crisis, all people, including auto drivers, are yet to recover. If the drivers use the meters properly, most of the passengers will be happy. In a society, all people are essential. Let us complement each other,” she said.</p>.<p>Suma Rani, inspector, Legal Metrology Department, said, the auto drivers were given a deadline to recalibrate their meters by April 30 for the revised fares, with a minimum of Rs 30 for up to 2 km distance, following a government order in February.</p>.<p>‘‘But, we do not penalise any driver for not recalibrating, she said. The process is still on and around 35% of the autos have got it done,’’ Suma said.</p>.<p>M S Geetha Prasanna, DCP (Crime and Traffic), said, if the passengers complain with the auto registration number, action will be initiated against the erring drivers.</p>
<p>Tourist destinations, like Mysuru, have both advantages and disadvantages. While appreciating the positive aspects of Mysuru, people, including tourists, point at the negative sides, like exploitation by auto drivers.</p>.<p>Most of the tourist destinations in Mysuru, like Mysuru Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Zoo, Karanji Lake, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Devaraja Market, Kaveri Emporium, St Philomena’s Church, Railway Museum, KSIC Mysuru Silk showroom, KSIC Silk Factory, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalay, etc, and frequently visited facilities such as hotels, railway station, KSRTC sub-urban bus stand and KSRTC city bus stand, are within a ‘road distance’ of 2 km, from each other.</p>.<p><strong>New minimum</strong></p>.<p>Most of the auto drivers charge a minimum of Rs 50, while the revised minimum fare is Rs 30, for up to 2 km. Residents and tourists have various complaints against auto-rickshaw services, including the ones availed via aggregator platforms.</p>.<p>C Raghavendra, an IT professional from Bengaluru and a native of Shivamogga, said, “I travelled by train to avoid weekend traffic and also due to the ongoing Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway works, because only my wife accompanied me. To avoid arguments with auto drivers and also to avoid a queue before the pre-paid auto counter, I booked an auto on an aggregator platform, after having lunch at the restaurant adjoining the railway station.”</p>.<p><strong>Unruly behaviour</strong></p>.<p>Raghavendra said, “I called the auto driver, who asked my location. I told him that I was in front of the restaurant. He arrived in a few minutes. When I and my wife were boarding, the auto drivers who had formed a queue at the pre-paid auto counter, confronted the driver who came to pick us. They said that he was not supposed to pick passengers there, as the aggregator pick-up point was on the opposite side of the Circle. They even tried to assault him.”</p>.<p>“We somehow boarded the auto. We had moved a few metres when the driver asked us to pay Rs 10 extra over the fare mentioned by the aggregator. The mentioned fare was Rs 45 for the destination, a hotel, which was at a distance of just over one km. Since the driver had escaped an assault attempt, we sympathised with him and agreed to pay the extra amount,” Raghavendra said.</p>.<p><strong>In a hurry</strong></p>.<p>Puneeth Rai, a tourist from Davangere, accompanied by a couple of friends, said, after their tour of Mysuru Palace, they enquired with an auto driver at Varaha Gate for a drop to Jaganmohan Palace, who demanded Rs 50.</p>.<p>“The distance was just over 1 km. We knew that we were over-charged. But we did not want to waste our time and energy arguing with him. However, we asked him if Rs 50 was the new minimum fare. He did not answer, but complained about the hike in price of CNG and other essentials. We said that we will pay him as per his demand, but just wanted to know if Rs 50 was the new minimum. He did not answer,” Rai said.</p>.<p><strong>Pre-paid counters</strong></p>.<p>C S Nanjundaswamy, president of Autorickshaw Owners and Drivers’ Association, admitted that drivers in some stands over-charge and fleece passengers. “They are a disgrace to our community. Even I complain with the police about such unruly drivers. To check exploitation of passengers, I had urged the deputy commissioner for opening pre-paid counters at Varaha Gate, Gun House on Ooty Road and at Aar Gate or Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle. The Gun House counter is yet to open. The Aar Gate counter was closed during the Covid crisis, but is open now. The Varaha Gate counter is yet to reopen. We need such counters at some more places.</p>.<p>Nanjundaswamy called for self-discipline among auto drivers. “How many more days can we expect the police to monitor us? Should we not provide services with ethics and concern for our passengers?” he asked.</p>.<p><strong>Mutual courtesy</strong></p>.<p>Divya Vinay, principal of a montessori, said, after living in Mumbai and travelling in local trains, autos have become an integral part of her life in Mysuru. “I admit that auto drivers demand Rs 10 or Rs 20 extra on actual fare. But they are also helpless, as the price of petrol and CNG has increased. Post-Covid crisis, all people, including auto drivers, are yet to recover. If the drivers use the meters properly, most of the passengers will be happy. In a society, all people are essential. Let us complement each other,” she said.</p>.<p>Suma Rani, inspector, Legal Metrology Department, said, the auto drivers were given a deadline to recalibrate their meters by April 30 for the revised fares, with a minimum of Rs 30 for up to 2 km distance, following a government order in February.</p>.<p>‘‘But, we do not penalise any driver for not recalibrating, she said. The process is still on and around 35% of the autos have got it done,’’ Suma said.</p>.<p>M S Geetha Prasanna, DCP (Crime and Traffic), said, if the passengers complain with the auto registration number, action will be initiated against the erring drivers.</p>