Fitness test fee, GPS charges waived for autorickshaws in Delhi

The move comes months ahead of the assembly elections scheduled in Delhi early next year. In June, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had hiked auto fares by over 18.75%.

The Delhi government on Tuesday gave its nod for waiver of fitness test fees and GPS-related charges for all auto-rickshaws in the national Capital.

Delhi has around 95,000 registered autos. (Sanchit Khanna/HT file PHOTO)

The move comes months ahead of the assembly elections scheduled in Delhi early next year. In June, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had hiked auto fares by over 18.75%.

The government on Tuesday also stated that various other charges — including penalties related to CNG three-wheelers — will be significantly reduced from September 1.

Delhi at present has around 95,000 registered auto-rickshaws, all of which ply on CNG.

Auto unions in the city welcomed the decisions and also said the move will go in favour of the AAP in the upcoming Assembly elections. “There are roughly 1 lakh auto drivers for the 95,000 registered autos in the city. First the government agreed to our demand of increasing auto fares and now they have waived so many charges. With these back-to-back announcements, at least 85% of Delhi’s auto drivers will vote for the AAP. Each driver has a family of at least four, who also in turn will vote for the party,” said Santosh Pandey, president of Aapka Apna Auto Taxi Union.

The Delhi cabinet on Tuesday also approved a proposal of the transport department that reduces the registration or re-registration charges of autos from the prevailing ₹1,000 to ₹300, a government statement said.

The GPS tracking charges presently being charged at the rate of ₹100 per month along with GST and SIM charges have also been completely waived, the statement said, adding that the transport department will now bear these charges.

Other taxi unions in the city, however, were unhappy that their demands were not heard by the Delhi government. “When will the government take up the cause of the taxis of Delhi who are reeling under the pressure of targets given by cab aggregators. Those who are not affiliated to any such aggregator are pushed to poverty as the government has not revised the taxi rates for more than five years,” said Sanjay Samrat, president, Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association.

The government said that all fresh changes will come into effect from September 1. “However, the fees in respect of grant as well as renewal of permit covered by Delhi Motor Vehicle Rules, 1993, will come into effect from October 15 after the transport department makes the necessary amendments in the rules,” the government statement read.

Under this, taking an auto permit or renewing it will now come at half the current cost. The price has been reduced from ₹1,000 to ₹500. Rest of the revised charges that will be applicable from September 1 include late fee penalty on fitness test, which is presently ₹1,000 along with ₹50 per day. This will cost ₹300 and ₹20 per day from next month.

The fee for duplicate registration certificate and ownership transfer will now be ₹150, down from ₹500 earlier. The penalty amount of ₹500 per month has been brought down to ₹100 per month.