The increasing CNG prices, inflation and cost of living are some of the reasons why Pune’s Regional Transport Authority has effected the highest hike in recent memory of autorickshaw fares.
The per-kilometre cost of travelling in an autorickshaw will go up from Rs 14 to Rs 17 from September 1. For the first 1.5km, the cost will rise from Rs 21 to Rs 25.
District collector Rajesh Deshmukh announced on August 27 that the fare hike would be applicable in Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation limits and Baramati. All autorickshaw drivers must recalibrate their metres, he added.
The fare hike is based on the recommendations of the Khatua committee report, which proposed fare formulae on the basis of fuel prices, cost of living and inflation.
The substantial fare hike comes as a victory for the autorickhsaw unions which had opposed a Rs-1-per-km increase that the authority proposed last month. They said the increase was unscientific and not in line with the Khatua panel’s recommendations.
Nitin Pawar of Rickshaw Panchayat said the drivers had pushed for a Rs 4 hike. “When the Rs-1-per-km raise was announced, we met the district collector and sought to know why such a minimal fare increase was approved. We told him that it was not acceptable to us and that CNG prices were at an all-time high. Coincidentally, that same week a new Consumer Price Index was announced, which strengthened our case. We sought a Rs-4-per-km hike but finally settled for Rs 3,” he said.
Although the hike will have a positive impact on autorickshaw drivers’ earnings, the hassle of meter calibration will put a considerable financial burden on them, the unionist said. “The autorickshaw drivers would be recalibrating their meters for the third time. This will require them to spend considerable time and money,” said Pawar.
Shrikant Acharya of the Aam Admi Rickshaw Sanghatna said the fare should have been revised to Rs 18 per km and Rs 28 (for the first 1.5 km), as per the Khatua committee’s norms. “But some old unions voiced their apprehensions that if fares were revised as per the Khatua recommendations, then the autorickshaws would not find any passengers. So the authority settled for Rs 17. We welcome this hike but will continue to press for more,” said Acharya.
Pawar said the union representatives were planning to meet central and Maharashtra ministers with requests to slash CNG prices. “Reducing the fuel price is the real solution to the problem. It’s also possible in the current scenario,” he said.
