Auto unions threaten to halt services to Heerapura terminal over fare hike delay
In a letter to chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and deputy chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa, the unions warned that they would cease operations to the terminal unless the government approves the long-pending revision of fares.
Speaking to TOI, Puneet Singh Issar, president of a city auto union, said, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) had been working on revising fares since early 2025 after 12 years. "Unfortunately, they slowed down the process suddenly. We were told it is still underway, but no time frame was given for announcing the hike," Issar said.
Auto drivers said that it becomes very difficult to get a passenger from places like Bhankrota.
Until and unless there is a hike in fare, it would be difficult for us to drop passengers at the Heerapura terminal.
"The app-based services also offer very low fares, and most passengers prefer them as they can board an auto directly from their pick-up location. Many of us are also accepting passengers through these apps. Once the government increases the fare, we will switch back to operating on meters," said Kishan Lal Jangid, an auto driver.
As per the draft fare proposal, the fare for the first kilometre is likely to increase from Rs15 to Rs30, while the rate for each subsequent kilometre may go up from Rs 9 to Rs 14. The new structure also proposes a 25% hike in night charges, a luggage fee of Rs10 per piece, and a waiting charge of Rs40.
"For instance, the distance from Sindhi Camp to Heerapura is around 11 km, which means the fare would be at least Rs170 under the proposed rates. The RTO is considering implementing this substantial hike in one go," said a transport official.
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