Auto, taxi fares hiked again

In the steepest hike in 35 years, the state government on Friday not only raised the minimum fare by Rs3 for autos and Rs2 for taxis, it also upped their basic fares (per km rate), which will make long-distance commute expensive.

In the steepest hike in 35 years, the state government on Friday not only raised the minimum fare by Rs3 for autos and Rs2 for taxis, it also upped their basic fares (per km rate), which will make long-distance commute expensive.

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This is also the second hike in six months, and you can exp-ect another fare revision in eight months. The hike applies to all CNG-run taxis and autos in Mu-mbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority has reduced the minimum distance to 1.5 km from 1.6 km and introduced a new system of calculation, wherein commuters will be charged for every 100 meters after the first 1.5 km. It has based the tariff hike on the new fare calculation formula created by the state-appointed, one-member Hakim Committee.

Once the hike comes into effect from Thursday, October 11, cabs will charge a minimum fare (for first 1.5 km instead of current 1.6 km) of Rs19, instead of Rs17, while autos will charge Rs 15 instead of Rs12.

If this is not bad enough, once the new tariff comes into effect, there’s likely to be a lot of confusion as the meters — both mechanical and electronic — of each and every one of the 1.5 lakh autos and taxis plying in the city will need to be recalibrated for them to be able to calculate the revised fares. State transport commissioner VN More said the process will take 45 days.

“We will try to expedite the recalibration process. We will issue new tariff cards that will have columns such as distance travelled, meter reading and fare so that there is no confusion.

Meters need to be recalibrated to reset the minimum fare distance to 1.5 km and to reset the meter change to 100 meters. Satisfied with the hike, taxi and auto unions have withdrawn their strike call. Commuters are, however, furious.