Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Commuters will have to shell out more for travelling in an auto-rickshaw as the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has accepted the demand of the Taxi and Auto Association to increase the fare.
Authority has increased the fare by Rs 3 for the first kilometre and also for the further ride.
Moreover, the night fare has also been increased to 20 percent extra of the total fare.
Hike in auto-fare came into effect immediately after the orders and according to the new fare chart, a passenger will have to pay Rs 20 for the first kilometre and Rs 17 a km for the subsequent journey. Earlier, the minimum fare was Rs 17 for the first kilometre and Rs 14 a km for the following journey.
“Auto drivers had demanded revision in fares. We forwarded a proposal to the Authority in this regard over which the final decision was taken. The new fare has been implemented immediately, ” said Regional Transport Office officials, adding the auto-drivers have been asked to take fare as per the reading of the metre.
President of Indore Auto-Rickshaw Drivers Association Rajesh Bidkar welcomed the fare hike, as the rates of CNG have also been increasing on a regular basis. “The administration has increased the fare though it is up to the demand. We are happy that the administration considered our demand,” Bidkar said.
Local residents said that it would be a double whammy for them as the Centre had already increased the fares of every public transport and prices of petro-products.
A software engineer Rishi Dixit, a resident of Airport Road, said that the fare hike was necessary for auto-drivers but it would also affect their budget as inflation is already at the top.
