Autos, taxis may go off roads today

Be prepared to travel in crowded buses and trains on Tuesday.

Be prepared to travel in crowded buses and trains on Tuesday.

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The taxi and autorickshaw unions have threatened to go on strike from Tuesday, if the state government fails to take a decision on their demand for a fare hike.

The state transport department will hold a joint meeting with both unions on Tuesday to discuss their demand.

“We expect a decision [on the fare hike] from the Transport department on June 22. If it is not taken, we will go on strike,” said A. Quadros, general secretary, Mumbai Taximen’s Union.

Thampi Kurien, general secretary, Mumbai Autorickshaws’ Union, echoed the sentiment.

“We may decide on the new fares on Tuesday. This will give us enough time to print the new tariff cards for both taxis and autos,” said an official from the Transport department, on condition of anonymity.

On June 16, the Mahanagar Gas Ltd increased the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 6.42, which affected 56,000 taxis and 1.5 autorickshaws that run on CNG.

The taxi’s union has demanded a hike in the minimum fare from Rs 14 to Rs 16 and then Rs 9 to Rs 11 for every additional kilometre. The autorickshaws’ union has demanded an increase of Rs 6 from the existing minimum fare of Rs 9.

Last week, however, state Transport Commissioner Dilip Jadhav had told Hindustan Times that they would meet the unions’ representatives on Tuesday, but the final decision on the fare hike will be taken later by the state government.