Auto unions slam ‘unscientific' fare hike, seek ₹40 base fare
The new fare structure raises the base fare from ₹30 to ₹36 for the first 2 km. Beyond that, the per-km rate increases from ₹15 to ₹18. The fare revision, announced by the Bengaluru Urban district administration on July 14, is set to take effect from August 1.
The revision comes after a gap of five years, but autorickshaw drivers are far from happy. The Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU) has strongly opposed the move, calling it 'unilateral, unscientific, and against due process.'
Speaking to The Hindu, T.M. Rudramurthy, general secretary of ARDU, said, 'We have been requesting for fare revision since 2023. The previous Deputy Commissioners had at least held consultations with unions. But the present Deputy Commissioner, G. Jagadeesha, has taken this decision without holding any meeting. We strongly condemn this one-sided move.'
The union has written a letter to Mr. Jagadeesha, pointing out what it claims are procedural lapses. 'As per Rule 53 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, the Deputy Commissioner is not the chairperson of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA). Despite this, he has issued the order unilaterally. This is not acceptable,' the letter stated.
The union is demanding a base fare of ₹40 for the first 2 km and ₹20 for every additional km. It has also called for annual fare revisions, arguing that long gaps between revisions are unfair given the rising cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance.
'A revision every five years is not enough. The cost of living rises every year, and autorickshaw drivers cannot survive without annual fare adjustments,' Mr. Rudramurthy added.
Commuters not on board
Meanwhile, the fare hike has also drawn flak from commuters, who are already feeling the pinch of rising transportation costs. 'The government has already increased bus and metro fares. Now, with auto fares also going up, it's becoming unaffordable for daily commuters,' said R. Divya, a private company employee in Koramangala.
Another commuter, Anil Kumar, who travels regularly between Jayanagar and Infantry road, said, 'Auto fares on aggregator apps are already higher than the government-fixed rates. Now this hike just feels like a formality. We are not seeing any real benefit as passengers.'
Annual fare review
Traffic and urban mobility experts believe the issue lies not in the fare hike itself but in the lack of regular revisions.
Transport expert M.N. Sreehari said, 'Regular fare revisions could help reduce the widespread issue of auto drivers refusing rides in Bengaluru. Many commuters complain about drivers not using the meter. Annual revisions would likely decrease overcharging and improve compliance.'
He added that sudden and long-delayed hikes often lead to discontent on all sides, including drivers, commuters, and even aggregators.
Aggregator platforms to follow suit
Aggregator platforms, including apps like Ola, Namma Yatri, Rapido, and Uber, are expected to update their fare structures in line with the government's revision.
A representative of a leading auto aggregator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'We will increase our base fare and per-km charges from August 1, as per the new government directive.'
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