Indore: With new academic sessions to start in mid-June, parents to bear brunt of monthly hike of Rs 200-400 in auto fares

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): With the new academic sessions set to start in mid-June in most schools, parents will have to bear the brunt of inflation with a monthly hike of Rs 200-Rs 400 in auto fares and also in school van fares. The decision was taken by the Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Association just a day after the Regional Transport Authority approved the increase of auto-rickshaw fares by Rs 3 per kilometre.

According to the president of the Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Union, Rajesh Bidkar, they have asked all the members of the association who also ferry school students or office-goers to increase fares by Rs 200 to Rs 300 per passenger on a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, an auto driver said they had increased the rates on the basis of kilometres. The major impact of the increased fares will be felt after the schools reopen in June.

‘We’re left with no other option’

‘We’re left with no option but to increase our auto-rickshaw fares. The RTA has increased the fares, after which we’ve decided to increase the fares for students and office-goers. The government has been increasing the prices of CNG four times a month. CNG prices are increasing like anything and have reached the Rs 89 mark from Rs 60 in a couple of years. It’s hitting our business hard as most auto drivers can’t save anything at the end of the month and many even face trouble in fulfilling their needs,” Bidkar told the media. “Not only gas prices, but also charges of insurance, RTO, and other things have been increased, but not auto fares. We’re continuously appealing to the government to provide us relief from the extremely steep CNG and other prices, but our demands have fallen on deaf ears’

— Rajesh Bidkar, president, Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Union

‘It’ll impact our monthly budget’

‘My two daughters go to school in auto-rickshaws as the school doesn’t have any bus facility. Prices of all commodities are increasing and a hike in auto fares will drain our monthly budget. The government has slashed fuel prices and, now, they must decrease the price of CNG and domestic cylinders, as well’

— Pragati Tiwari, a housewife