Hike in auto fares in Delhi unlikely

Unions fear move may hamper their business, help cab aggregators.

The national capital is unlikely to witness any revision in the fares of the autorickshaws this year, as the auto unions have voted against the move. The auto unions have conveyed to the government that the fare-hike will only hamper their business, which is already facing stiff competition from the cab aggregators.

Officials with the Delhi government said that the auto unions have voted against the fare hike. “The auto unions are already grappling with the loss of customers due to the boom in app based taxi services in the city which provide cheaper commute and hassle-free experience to the users,” an official said on conditions of anonymity.

The auto unions, which had been pressing for a fare hike due to increase in CNG prices, have tweaked their demands with the change in the market conditions. In the latest set of demands, the auto unions have been demanding regulation of the fares of the cab aggregators and putting them off the roads, but the government in a bid to encourage healthy market competition is unwilling to ban them.

The AAP government had constituted a four-member fare-fixation committee consisting of officials of the Delhi transport department on the auto fare revision in the city. Auto fares were last revised in May 2103 by the Sheila Dikshit dispensation.

At present, the base fare for autos is Rs 25 for the first two kilometres, while for every subsequent kilometre, travellers have to pay Rs 8. Those choosing yellow-black taxis for travel have to pay Rs 25 for the first kilometre. The charges for every subsequent kilometre is Rs 14 for non-AC taxis and Rs 16 for AC taxis. There are currently about 80,000 autorickshaws plying on the capital’s roads.