After three years, Transport Department to discuss autorickshaw fare hike in Bengaluru with unions on December 23

Many drivers in Bengaluru have turned to alternative methods to compensate for their stagnant incomes, such as bypassing meters and charging passengers at their discretion. This has created increasing friction between drivers and passengers.

After numerous demands by the autorickshaw union in Bengaluru to increase the minimum fare, which has remained unchanged for three years, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has scheduled a meeting with auto unions on December 23 to discuss the fare hike and other issues faced by auto drivers.

The unions have cited rising fuel and spare parts costs, along with inflation, as reasons for their demand. The Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU) had written to the Bengaluru Urban District Deputy Commissioner and the Transport Minister multiple times, urging a revision of fares in Bengaluru in accordance with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

T.M. Rudramurthy, General Secretary of ARDU, confirmed to The Hindu that the transport Department has called for a meeting. He stated, “The auto fares were last revised on December 20, 2021, and prior to that in 2013. The long gaps between fare revisions have created significant challenges for auto drivers. We will, therefore, urge the administration to implement annual fare revisions in line with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).”

The current fare structure for autorickshaw rides in Bengaluru is ₹30 for the first two kilometres, and ₹15 for each subsequent kilometre. “Over the past three years, costs have steadily increased, especially for auto spare parts. Auto drivers face significant challenges, including heavy traffic, which restricts them to covering no more than 70 kilometres per day, thereby drastically reducing their daily earnings,” added Mr. Rudramurthy.

The auto union has urged the government of Karnataka to amend existing laws, particularly Section 67(i) of the Motor Vehicles Act. This section mandates that auto fares be revised ‘from time to time’, but it lacks clarity on the frequency of such revisions, Mr. Rudramurthy pointed out.

The government of Karnataka last revised the minimum auto fare on December 20, 2021, after an eight-year gap, according to unions.

The Adarsh Auto Union has proposed raising the fare to ₹40 for the first two kilometres, and ₹20 for each additional kilometre. L. Manjuntha, a union member, said, “The current CNG price is ₹83 per kg, compared to around ₹50 to ₹60 in 2021. However, fares have not been adjusted to account for the rising fuel costs. In Bengaluru, nearly all autos run on CNG, although electric autos are becoming more common. While e-autos avoid high fuel costs, they are significantly more expensive, costing between ₹4.70 lakh and ₹5 lakh, compared to ₹2.35 lakh for a CNG auto.”