Will revise fares, TN Minister assures auto drivers in Chennai
The state government last revised the auto-rickshaw fares in 2013, fixing Rs 25 for the first 1.8 km and Rs 12 for additional kilometres.
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CHENNAI: Auto-rickshaw fares in the city are likely to increase after 12 years, with Transport Minister SS Sivasankar assuring the representatives of various auto-rickshaw drivers’ unions that the fares would be revised soon after taking the matter to Chief Minister MK Stalin's attention.
He gave this assurance during an interaction with auto-rickshaw drivers' union representatives at the Transport and Road Safety Commissionerate in Guindy.
Jahir Hussain, general secretary of Urimai Kural, who participated in the discussion, said that all the unions sought immediate fixation of auto-rickshaw fares without any further delay.
“The minister heard the views of all the union representatives and assured that the fares would be revised very soon after being brought to the attention of the chief minister," he said, adding that the unions urged the government to fix a minimum fare of Rs 50, and Rs 25 per km subsequently.
The state government last revised the auto-rickshaw fares in 2013, fixing Rs 25 for the first 1.8 km and Rs 12 for additional kilometres.
In February 2022, the Madras High Court gave a direction to revise auto fares after which the transport department formed a committee to consult with the stakeholders. But the fare was not revised.
CITU-backed Auto Taxi Thozhilalar Sangam general secretary S Balasubramanian said that the Minister once again assured of revising the auto-rickshaw fares without giving any time frame. “We don’t know when the government will revise the autorickshaw fares,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hussain said that his union insisted that transport officials should impose a fine of Rs 10,000 on bike taxis for operating in violation of rules.
