Fuel price rise: Commuters paying additional surcharge on trips planned months ago

Earlier the pandemic and now the fuel price rise – due to these hurdles, people have stopped providing cab services and those who provide cab services have revised their fares

Increasing fuel and CNG prices have led to an increase in the rates of private cab service providers as most of the cars which used to operate at Rs12 per km are now operating at Rs15 per km.

Commuters who had booked in advance for road travel have also been asked to pay an additional surcharge as fuel prices are on the rise. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Commuters who had booked in advance for road travel have also been asked to pay an additional surcharge as fuel prices are on the rise.

Nilesh Bhansali, director of the Travel Agents Association of Pune (TAAP), said, “Earlier the pandemic and now the fuel price rise – due to these hurdles, people have stopped providing cab services and those who provide cab services have revised their fares. As many bookings are done in advance, the client expects to travel at the same rate at which the booking was done but the cab service providers add an ‘additional fuel surcharge’ to the bill which is not going down well with the clients so as a travel agent, we have to deal with many things to handle the client.”

A majority of commuters who had planned their trips months ago are now having to deal with paying additional charges.

Tilak Sawla, who had planned a road trip to Goa from Pune ended up paying Rs2,000 more at the end of his trip.

“In the last one week, the price of CNG has increased by Rs7 so we have added the additional fuel cost to the final billing. This was the response from the cab service provider after our family trip was completed,” explained Sawla.

Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra Vahan Chalak Malak Pratinidhi Sanghatana, said, “Private tours and travel companies have increased rates by 10 to 15% as they don’t have any authorised body overseeing them. The rates have been increased.”

“When we talk about goods carrier vehicles, their basic rates are decided by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and there is no increase in their fares. Even auto-rickshaw associations want an increase in basic fares as the rates of fuel have increased drastically. We are waiting for the response from RTA,” said Shinde.

“The increase in diesel rates has impacted the business of goods carrier heavy vehicles drastically as many businessmen are taking advantage by renting carriers which are available at lower prices. So when we look at the complete scenario at the end, the owners of goods carrier services are incurring losses because if they increase their rates, businessmen will not rent their services,” Shinde said.

Gaurav Jarad, private cab service provider from Kothrud, said, “Continuing the travel and tours business is becoming difficult day by day as maintenance charges are rising. Now most of the private vehicles which used to run at Rs12 per km have increased their rates to Rs15 per km.”