Revised auto fares in Pune put on hold till next RTO meeting

Last month, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) declared that the minimum fare for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad’s autorickshaws will be ₹20 instead of ₹18 for first 1.5 km and thereafter ₹13 for every kilometre, due to the increasing fuel prices in the country

PUNE The earlier decision taken to increase autorickshaw fares by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of Pune division has been put on hold by the RTO till its next meeting. Existing auto rates will remain unchanged for now.

The earlier decision taken to increase autorickshaw fares by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of Pune division has been put on hold by the RTO till its next meeting. Existing auto rates will remain unchanged for now. (HT PHOTO)

Existing auto fares are ₹18 for first 1.5 km and later on, for each km ₹12.19.

Last month, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) declared that the minimum fare for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad’s autorickshaws will be ₹20 instead of ₹18 for first 1.5 km and thereafter ₹13 for every kilometre, due to the increasing fuel prices in the country. These revised fares were going to come in effect from November 8 in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Baramati municipal corporations.

This decision by RTO was taken on recommendations given by the Khatua committee report as auto unions were demanding a fare hike. Autorickshaw unions have submitted a demand letter to the RTO requesting a rethink about the fare hike, which is very low according to the unions and needs to be increased. So

“We got several demand letters from the autorickshaw unions about the increase made in the fares and according to them, it was low. So it is now decided to put on hold the current fares and only after the next RTO meeting revised fares will be discussed and announced,” said Pune regional transport officer and RTO member secretary Ajit Shinde.

Bappu Bhave, president of Pune autorickshaw federation said, “The fare hike given to us was an insult looking at the current situation, where fuel is gone above ₹100 and all other things rates are increased. Due to the pandemic auto drivers are struggling to survive and some of them died by suicide in the last two years. So it is necessary to rethink the fare hike and revise it immediately,”