Sharp rise in fares likely

An autorickshaw ride could soon cost you 50 per cent more than what you are paying right now, reports Amitabh Shukla.

An autorickshaw ride could soon cost you 50 per cent more than what you are paying right now. A bus ride in the city could cost a minimum of Rs 5, no matter how short your journey is.

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The Delhi cabinet will notify an increase in the fares of autorickshaws, taxis and buses in the first week of May after it goes through the recommendations of the Fare Fixation Committee it had constituted last year. The committee, having finalised its report, will present it to the Delhi government on May 1.

Delhi’s Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf told HT: “We have got inputs from all quarters and a rationalisation of the fare structure will be done next week.”

The autorickshaw fare hike is expected to be the stiffest, rising by at least 50 per cent of the current rates, according to sources in the government. At present the charge is Rs 8 for the first kilometre and Rs 3.50 for every subsequent kilometre. The Fare Fixation Committee has recommended a uniform minimum of Rs 5-6 per km.

Bus fares of the Delhi Transport Corporation and private operators will be either Rs 5 or Rs 10. All other ticket denominations will be done away with. The lower fare will be charged for the first 8 km. It has been recommended that a bus be allowed to run maximum 16 km each way on its route. Currently, there is no restriction on route distance.

Yusuf said the fare hike had become necessary with CNG becoming costlier. DTC officials said estimated that the hike in the price of CNG last year was costing the corporation an additional Rs 9 crore every month.