Auto union demands hike in fare

The Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximen’s Union (MAU), the largest auto union in the city, has sought a Rs 2 fare hike for the first 1.5 km and Rs 1 for each subsequent km.

MAU headed by Union leader Shashank Rao said that they have sent the proposal to the state four days ago. When asked if the decision might go against them as it might actually spur even more to shift to mobile-based aggregators, he said, “These big companies have big investors and so they can pay their drivers good amount of money and at the same time provide cheap rides and offers to the commuters but we can’t afford that. Our drivers have to still earn a living and with the growing living cost, the same fare will not suffice anymore,” said Mr Rao.

The new fare table suggested by Mr Rao is Rs 20 for the first 1.5 km and then Rs 13.56 per subsequent km; these calculations have been made on the basis of the Hakim panel back in 2012. Currently, commuters pay `18 for the 1.5 km and `12.18 every subsequent km. Even the current fare is 200 per cent of the minimum fare of Ola cabs.

Transport minister Diwakar Roate had declared last year that the Hakim panel and its report has been scrapped claiming that it was no longer relevant with the times. A three-member panel had been set up in its place, but this committee has not yet come out with any new reports for fare hikes.

RTO sources said that they had calculated the hike as per the formula and kept it ready in the May 31 meeting. However, as no union had raised the demand for a hike, it was kept aside.