After the fares for the Metro and buses were hiked in December last, it is now the turn of auto and taxi fares to go up.
Talking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Delhi chief minister said the increase in auto fares would not put much pressure on Delhiites. Sources, however, said
that fares might be hiked by 50 per cent or more.
Auto-rickshaws in Delhi charge Rs. 10 for the first kilometre and Rs. 4.50 for each kilometre thereafter. While the auto-rickshaw unions want the rates to be raised to Rs. 20 for the first kilometre and Rs. 10 for each kilometre thereafter.
With the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) going up by Rs. 3 per kilo over the past one year and the threat of another Rs. 5-6 per kilo looming, senior transport officials say revision of auto and taxi fares is due.
“We are studying fare structure in cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, too. We will soon prepare a report and submit it to the government,” a senior transport department official said.
“Not just CNG prices, the cost of spare parts and maintenance has also gone up,” Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh chief Rajendra Soni said.
Delhi transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, however, said the government has not fixed any deadline for increasing the fare.
“The department officials will submit their report by June 15. The decision on how much the fare will be increased and by when would only be taken after that,” Lovely said.